Dragon of the Moon
by HAL
Summary: A mysterious stranger follows a new enemy that threatens Tokyo and menaces the Sailor Senshi. Will he fight the enemy alone, or will he enlist the aid of the Senshi? Or will this enemy be too much for both the stranger and the Senshi to handle?
1. Dragon of the MoonPrologue

Disclaimer: Sailor Moon, and characters related to Sailor Moon (you  
know which ones), belong to Naoko Takeuchi, not me. Just so we are  
clear on that.  
  
Original characters are of my design, thank you very much.  
  
Note: the *....* represent the character's thoughts.  
  
This is my first fic, so I hope you enjoy reading it. I would like to   
thank Lady Archanna for being a wonderful editor (thanks, Lexi!), and  
Magdalena for her input and support (thanks, Lenachan!) Any comments,   
email me at halreader@cs.com.  
Thank you for reading, and enjoy!  
  
HAL :-)  
  
  
  
  
  
Dragon of the Moon  
Prologue  
  
  
Duty then is the sublimest word in the English language. You  
should do your duty in all things. You can never do more, you should  
never wish to do less.  
-- Robert E. Lee  
  
  
  
"Must you go?"  
  
The knight stopped at the gates, tilting his head, as if  
straining to hear some faint sound.  
  
He had heard the question.  
  
He didn't move, he kept his back turned as his cape fluttered  
against his dark uniform. Far off, faint explosions were heard; the  
sounds of war threatening to break the serene setting in which he  
stood.  
  
After a while, he lowered his head, gave out a long sigh, and  
spoke. "I don't think anything else can be said...it has been  
decided...and I have a job to do."  
  
A choking sob was heard. "But you have only been here for  
such a short time...you CAN'T leave...it's not fair...your friends  
...your family...your..."  
  
"Enough," said the caped figure, raising his hand, half turning. His features were darkened by the long shadow the castle gave off in the setting glare of the sun. "It is for them I'm doing this...my friends...my family..."  
  
He slowly turned to face the other speaker, his lips trembling,   
"...my Queen...my..." His breath caught, and he closed his eyes,   
clenching his fist.  
  
"Like I said, I have a job to do, and I am the one to do   
it...such is my fate...and my destiny," he sighed.  
  
Another sob.  
  
A small pendant on the caped figure's chest began to glow, and   
he clutched it. He raised his head, his face softened, his eyes  
shone. He grinned.  
  
"If all goes well, I will come back," he said, adding, "and I   
will see you again."  
  
A long sigh which he answered with a wink.  
  
A booming sound broke the silence and the caped-figure's face   
hardened again as his fingers closed around the hilt of his sword.  
  
"I must go," he said, turning away to face the war that raged   
outside the castle, pausing for a moment before stepping past the   
threshold. A mist seemed to gather thickly around him, and the sounds   
of war grew louder and louder. There was a growing roar of loud yells,   
clashing metal of swords, cries of pain and death...  
  
....louder.....louder....LOUDER....  
  
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!  
  
  
"Nooooooo!" Usagi cried, as she started awake. She sat up   
quickly, looking about wildly and breathing hard.  
  
Immediately Luna was in front of her. "Usagi-chan! What is it?   
What's happened?" cried the black moon cat.  
  
"OH! Oh...Luna," Usagi whimpered, shaking her head. Her hand   
reached up to her forehead, and she found she'd broken out into a cold   
sweat. "It...it must have been..."  
  
"A nightmare?" Luna volunteered.  
  
Usagi's eyes widened for a couple of seconds, then regressed to  
normal. "I...I don't know, Luna...it looked...it looked so...so...  
REAL.."  
  
"You remember what it was about?" asked Luna.  
  
"It was the Moon Kingdom...the Silver Millenium...I think," she  
said quickly, trying to recall. "I saw a guy in a dark uniform...."  
  
Luna let out a heavy sigh. "Oh Usagi, not Endymion again?" she  
began.  
  
"But it wasn't Mamochan...er, I mean, Endymion," Usagi corrected. "This guy...the uniform was different, not that of Earth royalty...but more like of the Moon's." Luna's ears perked up.  
  
"And besides, I would know if it was Mamo...umm, Endymion. This one...his face...his eyes...glowing eyes, his...oohh, I can't   
remember!" Usagi pouted.  
  
"Take it easy, Usagi," assured Luna. "It's probably another  
repressed memory from your days as Princess Serenity during the Silver  
Millenium."  
  
"But Luna," said Usagi, "why am I dreaming of him? I mean, I  
would rather be...dreaming of my Mamochan, in the park, having a   
picnic, then taking a beautiful romantic boat ride..." A dreamy sigh   
slipped past her lips.  
  
Luna sweatdropped, and coughed, "Ahem..."  
  
Usagi flushed, "Oh, heh heh, yeah...but I'm telling you, Luna,  
it's not Endymion, it's...someone I know...from my past?"  
  
Luna pondered on that. "Can't you remember anything else,  
Usagi-chan?" she asked.  
  
Usagi thought real hard, trying to remember any other features,  
other objects. *Something about his neck...a chain...or was it a  
pendant? or...* she thought, but shook her head.  
  
"Well, I wouldn't worry so much, Usagi," said Luna, and added,  
"If it was some repressed memory, it will come out eventually, just  
like it did with Mamoru-san."  
  
Usagi leaned back on her futon, and sighed.  
  
"Go back to sleep, Usagi, please? We'll talk about it in the  
morning."  
  
"All right, Luna," Usagi nodded, pulling up her covers, and   
turning to face the window.  
  
Luna purred in agreement, and settled down in her spot on the  
bed, and was soon asleep.  
  
Usagi wasn't so lucky. She was gazing outside through the   
window, and the night sky was clear, and the moon seemed to give off a   
faint glow, shining its light into her room.  
  
*Who are you? Do I know you?* she thought. *You're not   
Mamochan, but someone...those eyes...that chain...pendant...*  
  
She shook her head, and turned to look at the ceiling. *It must be a memory of some kind, it looked so real, like I should know him somehow.* She closed her eyes, and soon she was too was asleep.  
  
She did not dream of the caped knight again.  
  
  
End Prologue  
2-15-02 


	2. Dragon of the MoonChapter 1

Disclaimer: Sailor Moon, and characters related to Sailor Moon (you   
know which ones), belong to Naoko Takeuchi, not me. Just so we are   
clear on that.   
  
Original characters are of my design, thank you very much.  
  
Note: The *....*'s indicate the character's thoughts.  
  
I would like to thank Lady Archanna for being such a wonderful editor  
(thanks, Lexi!), and also Magdalena for support and input (thanks,   
Lenachan!). This is my first fic, so I hope you do enjoy it. Any  
comments, email me at halreader@cs.com.   
Thank you for reading, and enjoy!   
  
HAL :-)  
  
  
  
Dragon of the Moon  
  
Chapter 1  
  
  
  
He's a real Nowhere Man,  
Sitting in his Nowhere Land,  
Making all his nowhere plans for nobody.  
  
Doesn't have a point of view,  
Knows not where he's going to,  
Isn't he a bit like you and me?  
----"Nowhere Man"  
Lennon/McCartney, The Beatles  
  
  
  
*I hate Mondays...*  
  
CRASH!!! BOOM!!!  
  
*...oh, shut up.*  
  
The rain continued to pour. The raindrops pounded the bill of   
his already-wet baseball cap, resonating with a loud patter that   
annoyed him incessantly. Even with his cap on, his long black bangs   
were soaking wet.  
  
Rolie Drake looked up to the dark clouds overhead. They seemed   
to be mocking him as a gust of wind blew rain into his eyes, making   
him squint. But taking a cue from his opponent, he decided to mock   
back, and grinned.  
  
*Feh, big deal...I'm not made of sugar, you know, so there!* he   
thought, and stuck out his tongue to punctuate his dare.  
  
They weren't amused, for a bolt of lightning from above gave him   
his answer.  
  
CRASH!!! BOOOOM!!!  
  
Rolie winced, and even with a wet forehead, he sweatdropped.  
  
"All right, all right! Sheesh, can't take a joke?" he muttered.  
  
Beaten, he began looking for shelter. His walk in the park left   
him with few options. The trees offered protection, but he decided   
against becoming a human matchstick and kept looking. No buildings in   
sight...except a nearby concrete bridge. A rather narrow one.  
  
Rolie sighed.  
  
*Oh well, 'beggars can't be choosers', as they say,* he thought   
glumly.  
  
Hefting his large backpack on his shoulders, he grunted and   
quickly made his way to the bridge, a pedestrian walkway over a ravine.   
It was dry under the bridge, but the wind began blowing rain under it,   
and it was becoming cooler. He decided to wait there anyway and ride   
out the storm. Sitting down on the concrete abutment under the bridge,   
he began pondering the last few days.  
  
He had arrived at the outskirts of Tokyo this morning. The long   
hike from his starting point in Hokkaido took him through fields and   
cities, often following the highways as cars zoomed past by him. It   
would have been easier if he had rented a car, but he'd decided  
that a cross-country hike was needed to shore up his muscles, plus the   
feeling of open air and solitude best suited his personality.  
  
Rolie enjoyed camping. The days spent in the open country   
refreshed his senses, allowing him to relax and ease his mind and   
body. The pleasant summer nights provided comfortable weather, which   
he'd enjoyed by sleeping under the forest trees near the mountain  
range, with the glow of city night lights providing a comfortable   
backdrop.  
  
Yet he had been following a southerly course, following a   
peculiar sensation...a feeling...that he HAD to go south, towards   
Tokyo, where he now found himself.  
  
*Why....* he began thinking.  
  
A crashing bolt broke his train of thought. CRASH!! BOOM!!!  
  
He shook his head, and uttered, "Why am I here?"  
  
*Ah, an age-old question,* he thought, *though Freud nor Jung are   
here to debate it and fill your head with theories and case studies.   
Just do what you have done, like before, and eventually you'll find   
out.*  
  
"Fine," he said soberly, and sat back on the abutment, waiting   
for the rain to pass.  
  
Suddenly Rolie heard hurried footsteps on the span above him,   
and he leaned out to see who it was. Two joggers, apparently caught   
in the rainstorm, had crossed the bridge, trying to find shelter   
themselves...unsuccessfully. Rolie shook his head slowly, and began  
to settle back...  
  
THUMP THUMP THUMP!  
  
Rolie sat up quickly, surprised at the new sound over his head,   
and tried to crane his neck up to see, but couldn't. He looked at the   
joggers, finally seeing their faces...terror-stricken faces...and he   
tensed up.  
  
"What in the world...," he began, and then a loud roar cut   
through the rainfall; a blood-curdling sound that sent a swift chill   
down his spine. The joggers themselves screamed, and resumed their   
flight, and a large, dark form appeared on the other side of the  
span, but took no notice on Rolie. Whatever it was, it was chasing   
THEM.  
  
"Those people are going to need help with...whatever it is,"   
Rolie muttered, and stuck his backpack safely under the walkway,   
taking out a smaller, slim-looking object with a belt attached to   
it. Slinging it hurriedly across his chest, he took up the chase.  
  
  
  
*This...this...is...crazy!!...huff huff....I have   
heard....huff...of stranger things....huff....but...but THIS??...*  
  
Takeo Nishimura was at wits' end. He never expected to confront   
a huge, scaly monster on a jogging path. Neither did his girlfriend,   
Asai Kobe, who accompanied him. They had been jogging partners for two   
months after meeting in the college student union, both   
physical-education majors. Asai, however, had only one thought about   
the pursuing creature...run for your life.  
  
"Keep running, Asai-chan!" yelled Takeo, who followed a couple   
of yards behind her, praying that the next turn wouldn't lead to a dead   
end. Asai made another turn from the path, but a few yards later she   
suddenly stopped, choking back a scream; she had made a wrong turn  
onto a dead-end path. She stood staring at a tall wall from an overhead   
freeway that blocked her way. She was about to turn back when Takeo   
crashed into her, and both fell to the ground in a heap. Takeo grunted   
and shook his head, looking up he whimpered, "Oh...no..."  
  
The creature had caught up with them, now blocking the way out.   
It stood an imposing eight feet in height, a sickly brown-scaled   
behemoth with huge black horns coming out from its temples, eyes   
glowing red, and a sinister grin plastered on its face as it hissed   
between its razor-sharp teeth. It wore a dirty-looking toga, and a   
long tail whipped at the bushes just behind his giant, hooved feet.  
  
Asai was shaking violently, weeping behind Takeo, who was himself   
terrified by the sight of the creature, but managed to gather enough   
courage to stand between Asai and the monster. His voice wasn't quite   
ready when he finally spoke.  
  
"What," Takeo squeaked, gulping loudly, "What do you want?   
What...what are you?"  
  
The monster took two steps forward, dark hooves thumping on the   
ground, smiling wickedly.  
  
"Who I ammm....doessssn't matterrrr," it drawled, it's deep   
guttural voice sending more chills down Takeo's spine. "What I   
wannnt....are your souuulllssss!" the beast chuckled, a gurgling sound   
deep in his throat as he flashed a fanged grin at the terrified couple.  
  
*Oh, Kami-sama...a devil...* thought Takeo, heart sinking. He   
turned to a trembling Asai, gripped her shoulders, and slowly pushed   
her back to the tall wall behind them, whispering hurriedly in her ear.  
  
"Asai-chan, listen to me," Takeo hissed, "you have got to get   
away! I'll charge this...this...thing, and you go!"  
  
Asai looked at him with horrified eyes, "But...but Takeo-chan!"  
  
"No buts! Just do it!"  
  
"No, Takeo-chan! I won't go! Please don't make me go!" she   
cried, closing her eyes, shaking her head.  
  
"Asai-ko," Takeo whispered, and she looked at him again surprised   
to see a tear coming down his dirt-covered face, "please   
go...aishiteru."  
  
Asai sniffled, and finally nodded. Takeo kissed her cheek.  
  
"Wait for my signal...I'll knock it off it's feet, and you run   
as fast as you can...no looking back. Promise me!" he hissed.  
  
"I will, Takeo-chan...aishiteru," she whimpered. Takeo hugged   
her, and turned to face the monster, who was slowly closing the gap   
and still grinning.  
  
With a yell, Takeo lunged at the monster with all his might,   
managing to drive it a few steps sideways. With that, his arms   
tangling with the monster's, he cried out, "Asai-chan...GO!"  
  
Asai sprung forward, and had managed to reach the path entrance,   
when she felt something wrap around her waist. To her horror, the   
monster's tail had elongated, stretching out like a leathery coil, and   
bound her arms like a snake, squeezing her.  
  
"AAHH!!" she cried painfully, "Takeo-chaaann!!"  
  
Takeo blanched at the sight, and screamed at the still-grinning   
beast, "NOO!! Let her go, you MONSTER!"  
  
The monster chuckled, "Foolishhhh humanssss, think they are   
ssssso sssssmart? HAH!" The demon clasped a long hand around Takeo's   
throat, lifting him up in the air. Meanwhile its tail brought a   
screaming Asai closer to it, and with his free hand, grabbed her   
thin neck, bringing her struggling form next to Takeo's.  
  
Takeo and Asai gagged, gasping for breath, beating the monster   
weakly with their hands. The creature laughed,"HAHAHAHA!! Now,   
foolissshhh mortalsss, your soulssss...will be...MINE!!"  
  
A sickly-green glow surrounded the monster, spreading to its   
victims. Takeo felt his strength ebbing, and Asai's breathing became   
labored until she finally fell unconscious in the monster's grip.  
  
Takeo's hope slipped. *Asai-ko...I failed you....so   
sorry...I...love you....uhhhhh....*  
  
Last thing he saw was the creature still laughing before the   
darkness finally claimed him.  
  
  
  
Rolie had taken to the thickets, following the creature's loud   
tramping through bough and wood. As he crept closer, he heard the   
creature's sickening laugh, but nothing from the joggers.  
  
*Uh oh, I better work fast,* he thought, slipping closer to find   
a spot to make his strike. As he did, he reached over his back,   
pulling at the slim object--a long scabbard, withdrawing a katana,   
setting his feet for his jump...  
  
...until a new voice broke in.  
  
"VENUS LOVE ME CHAIN!"  
  
Rolie froze in his tracks, just stopping his jump. The creature   
had stopped laughing; a golden chain of hearts had wrapped around its   
neck, and amazingly, the monster was pulled backwards, the sudden   
momentum causing him to drop his unconscious victims to the pavement.  
  
Rolie bent down to his knees behind the shrubs and watched in   
amazement as the monster clutched at its neck, turning to face its   
attacker. Both Rolie and the creature were equally surprised at who   
they saw at the other end of the chain: a young blond-haired girl...  
  
*...in a gold-skirted sailor suit???* Rolie thought   
incredulously.  
  
The girl spoke, "I am Sailor Venus, the Senshi of Love! And I   
will not permit you to take the lives of this couple in love!" As she   
held fast on her chain, she shouted, "Got his attention, guys!"  
  
Suddenly new voices broke in.  
  
"SUPREME THUNDER!"  
  
"FIRE SOUL!"  
  
A fireball surrounded by flashes of electricity struck the   
monster, driving him hard into the wall.  
  
Two more sailor-suited girls appeared from the trees; a   
raven-haired one with a red skirt and a tall brunette in a green skirt.   
Both landed on the ground ahead of the fallen couple, joining the   
golden-skirted senshi.  
  
Then a blue-skirted senshi appeared and knelt beside Takeo and   
Asai. She held what looked to Rolie like a palm-size computer, typing   
quickly on the keys. Finally, another blond-haired senshi appeared,   
with overly-long pigtails, a rainbow-colored skirt, and...  
  
*...wings? A winged senshi? Who the heck are these girls?* Rolie   
thought from his hiding place.  
  
"Sailor Mercury?" the winged senshi said, "are they....?"  
  
Sailor Mercury ran a hand through her blue-tinged hair; a   
worried look on her face, looked at the blonde senshi, and said,   
"Their life signs are very weak, Sailor Moon...but it looks like we   
made it in time."  
  
Rolie's ears picked up the names, his eyes widened as he sucked   
in a breath. *So THAT'S Sailor Moon? And the other girls...the Sailor   
Senshi?...amazing,* he sat in awe, remaining silent and continuing to   
watch.  
  
Sailor Moon nodded, and looked at the creature, her face   
hardening, she began approaching the sputtering monster, and shouted,   
"How dare you try to take the lives of these innocents? The park is a   
place of peace and love, where couples enjoy each other's company...and   
you would take that away from them? I will not allow it!!  
  
"For I am Eternal Sailor Moon! Champion for Love and Justice!   
And with the help of my friends,"  
  
The others announced themselves:  
  
"Sailor Mercury!"  
  
"Sailor Mars!"  
  
"Sailor Jupiter!"  
  
"and Sailor Venus!"  
  
In unison, they posed, and cried, "WE SHALL PUNISH YOU!"  
  
"And that means you, you demon!" Moon punctuated.  
  
*....speeches?....posing?* Rolie sweatdropped, and his eyebrow   
twitched.  
  
The said demon didn't seem to care for the speeches, and scowled   
with hate-filled eyes at them. "Gaahhh," it growled, "Sssailor   
braaatss! I won't be taken down sssso easssily!"  
  
It reached to its neck and broke Venus's chain with a SNAP!...and   
despite Mars's and Jupiter's attacks, it sprung upright to its hooves,   
and with a roar, lowered its horned head charging at the senshi,   
scattering them.  
  
"Watch it, guys!" shouted Mercury, "The horns are sharp as   
spears! Keep moving!"  
  
The creature turned and charged at the senshi again, waving its   
clawed hands at them, as the senshi kept dodging each attack. Sailor   
Moon dodged one charge and scooted backwards, not noticing an exposed   
root from a nearby tree. Sailor Jupiter did, calling out to her,  
"Sailor Moon! Watch out!"  
  
Too late, Sailor Moon stumbled backward and landed in a heap.  
  
"Owwiee!...that smarts!" she muttered.  
  
The demon saw this, skidded to a halt, and turned with   
frightening speed and bore down on the fallen senshi.  
  
"YOU DIE NOOOWWW, SSSSAILOR BRAT! YARRRGGHH!!" it roared.  
  
Sailor Moon was frozen, fear in her eyes, and with the other   
senshi out of position to prevent the inevitable, she screamed,   
squeezing her eyes shut...  
  
...and felt her body jerked off the ground, and a loud crash:   
the monster smashed into the tree directly behind her.  
  
She opened her eyes, and breathed a dreamy sigh of relief.  
  
"Tuxedo Kamen! You saved me!" she exclaimed.  
  
"Got to watch your step, Sailor Moon," said the tuxedo-clad hero,   
and both flew to a nearby open spot for safety. He called out to the   
other senshi, "She's clear, sailor soldiers!"  
  
Jupiter renewed the assault, and yelled, "Right! All right,   
buddy, have a taste of this! JUPITER OAK EVOLUTION!"  
  
A swarm of lightning and leaves struck the monster, blowing him   
off balance, sending him tumbling to the ground. The other senshi   
joined in with their attacks.  
  
"MARS FLAME SNIPER!"  
  
"MERCURY AQUA RHAPSODY!"  
  
"VENUS LOVE AND BEAUTY SHOCK!"  
  
A deadly mix of fire, water, and light struck the demon, blasting   
it to the wall.  
  
Tuxedo Kamen stood behind Sailor Moon, and whispered, "It's your   
cue."  
  
Moon nodded, brought out her Eternal Tier, and shouted,  
  
"STARLIGHT HONEYMOON THERAPY KISS!"  
  
A huge wave of light and power sprung from Sailor Moon and   
enveloped the creature. The demon howled a long, unearthly wail...and   
disintegrated. Only thing left was a small object: a round stone with   
two leather cords coming out from it, but it too crumbled to dust.  
  
"Hah! Dusted demon!" said Jupiter jubilantly.  
  
"But still a tough one, Jupiter," said Mars.  
  
"Yeah, he even managed to break through my chain," said Venus   
glumly.  
  
"And withstood your low-impact attacks." added Mercury, "but we   
had to get him to let those people go and move him far enough away so   
we didn't fry them in the process."  
  
"Very good strategy, Sailor Mercury," said Tuxedo Kamen.  
  
"Yeah!" chimed in Sailor Moon, "leave it to our resident genius   
to come up with the coolest plan!" and she hugged Mercury's shoulders.   
Mercury blushed.  
  
Rolie, as silent as stone, observed everything from his hiding   
spot, in awe of what he just witnessed. *The Sailor Senshi in action,   
with the mysterious Tuxedo Kamen. Now I have seen everything,* he   
thought in wonder, *Well, guess they had everything under control,*   
and he started to retreat quietly into the trees.  
  
The senshi were walking back to check on Takeo and Asai, when   
Sailor Venus suddenly said, "Guys, wait!" and she turned to Mercury.  
  
"Mercury...didn't you tell us before on the way here that there   
were not one but TWO life-forms chasing this couple? If the demon we   
dusted was one of them, where's.....?" she trailed off.  
  
She needn't say the rest; the senshi and Tuxedo Kamen stopped in   
their tracks, looked about their surroundings, and listened intently.   
Mercury brought out her computer and activated her visor. Rolie, who   
had crept back a few feet from his hiding spot, caught Venus's   
statement, and he too stopped his tracks to listen. He was hiding   
in the bushes at the far side of the clearing, and the steady patter   
of the falling rain resonated on the canopy of trees above them all.  
  
...rustle...  
  
Rolie heard something, and narrowed his eyes...something was   
behind the senshi...in the bushes behind them.  
  
He sucked in his breath, but a faint, warm glow emanated from   
something under his shirt, and he clutched his chest quietly.  
  
*Oh great...they're here,* he thought bitterly, and his brow   
furrowed, *...wonderful...just wonderful...*  
  
...snap...  
  
Tuxedo Kamen whipped his head to his left, and in a swift   
movement, threw a couple of sharp roses at the noise's direction.   
"Come out!" he yelled, and began to enter the thicket.  
  
"Tuxedo Kamen, wait!" exclaimed Sailor Mercury, and he stopped,   
looking at her.  
  
"I have a reading, faint but solid...but not there," she said,   
and she swerved at Rolie's direction, "....there!...but wait..."  
  
Jupiter jumped forward. "All right, you! Come out of there!" she   
bellowed, and charged forward.  
  
"Jupiter, wait!" shouted Mars, but was too late. Jupiter dived   
headfirst into Rolie's thicket. Loud rustling, snapping, and grunting   
was heard, then a disheveled Sailor Jupiter crawled out.  
  
"Sailor Jupiter! Are you...?" asked Sailor Moon.  
  
"Okay? Yeah, I'm all right, except for a few splinters,"   
grumbled Jupiter, and glared at Mercury. "I thought you said he was in   
there," she said.  
  
Mercury shook her head. "The reading was there, Jupiter, but I   
was going to say, that wasn't the same second reading I detected before   
I got here," she explained.  
  
Jupiter looked at her blankly, as did the others, until Venus   
said, "Ummm, Mercury? Could you run that by us again?"  
  
Mercury cleared her throat, and continued, "What I meant was,   
before we got here, I detected two readings, both similar signatures,   
chasing this couple," and she knelt by the unconscious Takeo and Asai,   
and resumed her scans.  
  
"Yeah," said Mars, "we got here, found 'big and ugly' draining   
them."  
  
"Right Mars," said Mercury, and continued, "We found one source.   
The second one looked like he held back and let the big demon do its   
dirty work, hiding himself while we dealt with the monster. The source   
in the bushes..."  
  
"Where I jumped into?" muttered Jupiter.  
  
"No, Jupiter," Mercury said, "The second source blipped on my   
computer in the area where Tuxedo Kamen threw his roses. I was going   
to warn him to be careful..."  
  
"Well, I could have done THAT," said Sailor Moon.  
  
"Sailor Moon, anyone of us could have told him that," said Mars.  
  
"But...but he's MY boyfriend!" whined Moon.  
  
*Here we go again,* Tuxedo Kamen sighed silently, while Venus   
and Jupiter sweatdropped.  
  
"You should have been more careful yourself, watching your step,   
Meatball-head." snapped Mars.  
  
"I didn't know that root was there!" Moon shot back, "and DON'T   
call me Meatball-head, Pyro!"  
  
"Meatball-head!"  
  
"Pyro!"  
  
"Phbtttttt!!"  
  
"Phbtttttt!!"  
  
"Umm, girls?" Tuxedo Kamen tried to interject, without much   
success.  
  
"Girls?"  
  
"PHBTTTTT!!"  
  
"PHBTTTTT!!"  
  
"GIRLS!!" he finally shouted.  
  
Mars and Moon stopped, and turned their backs, crossing their   
arms.  
  
"Humph!!" they both huffed.  
  
Tuxedo Kamen cleared his throat. "Sailor Mercury, how about these   
people?"  
  
Mercury closed her computer, and said, "The drain left them   
unconscious, and out of any immediate danger, but we better take them   
to the hospital to be sure."  
  
"All right," said Tuxedo Kamen, "but back to that   
second...intruder reading, you said I threw my roses where he was. But   
then you pointed to where Jupiter charged. Does that mean...?" he   
trailed off.  
  
Venus finished the thought, "...a third intruder?"  
  
Moon's and Mars's eyes popped open, and they all stood silent   
again, the concept of the third unknown observer finally sinking in.   
However, all they heard was the continuous patter of falling rain, and   
the rumblings of thunder in the air...nothing else.  
  
  
  
Meanwhile, a mile north from where the senshi stood, a man   
stepped out of the bushes and took a deep breath. He was wearing dark   
camouflage garb, his shaved head slackened by the rain.  
  
He leaned against a tree, and muttered, "Ahh, alas for   
Tor...stupid idiot could never do a soul drain quick enough. Big on   
brawn, tiny upstairs," and shook his head, "unlike me, Nagash  
of the First Winged Order, quite the opposite of those leather-heads."  
  
"But those blasted Sailor Senshi...gah!" he spat, "they seemed   
to have improved on their powers and tactics as of late, especially   
Sailor Moon." He pulled out a small crystal that hung on a leather cord   
around his neck, eyeing it carefully.  
  
*These readings may do service to our cause. Once we figure out   
their weaknesses the senshi are as good as dead, and our armies will   
conquer this planet,* he thought chuckling to himself.  
  
"I gotta admit..." a new voice called out.  
  
Nagash's eyes widened, and he jumped in surprise, almost losing   
his footing.  
  
"WHAT?!" he cried.  
  
He looked up, and saw a figure standing on a tree branch above   
him, his arms crossed, and looking down at him. Though his head was   
down and the wet baseball cap he was wearing covered part of his   
grinning face, Nagash could see the stranger's eyes fixed squarely on   
him.  
  
"...you boys are improving in your stealth skills. I almost   
didn't see you, but that itch you had on your back was too much to be   
ignored, huh?" finished the figure.  
  
Nagash snarled and stepped backward into a clearing, looking at   
the stranger up and down, sizing him up. *Hmm, a human male, and a   
sneaky one at that. Six feet tall, black hair, raffish-looking by the   
clothes, doesn't look tough at all...*  
  
*...easy prey* he concluded, and he grinned back.  
  
"Are you trying to scare me? Because if that was your plan, it   
failed about as miserably as your attempt to surprise me," Nagash   
laughed, smirking. "Then again, I'm sure that was quite a feat for your   
small mind to put together."  
  
"Actually, I'd wager it took more effort than that fiasco you put   
together back there," Rolie shot back as he jumped to the ground with   
practiced ease, landing a few feet in front of Nagash. "Though I'd hope   
your mind is more evolved than Big-Tall-and-Gruesome's was...then   
again, I could be wrong."  
  
Nagash didn't like that, and scowled.  
  
"The senshi do work well, don't they?" the stranger continued,   
"for that's why you hid, so you don't suffer the fate of our late big   
bruiser. Hmm, there may be hope for your kind yet, perhaps."  
  
Nagash fumed, "Why, of all the....grrrr," he growled, and spat.   
"Foolish mortal! Dare call me a coward?" The crystal that hung on his   
neck began to glow, and his body shook. "You have no idea with who   
you're dealing with!!" he angrily cried.  
  
Lightning flashed above them. The glow from the crystal covered   
his body and Nagash howled aloud as he transformed into a new form.  
  
  
  
Sailor Jupiter and Venus were inspecting the bush the former had   
crashed in a few minutes before. Venus tilted her head, motioning   
toward the shrubs. "Here?"  
  
Jupiter nodded. "Yeah...thought I had him before he could get   
away, but all I got was a face full of twigs," she grumbled, pointing   
to the broken patch of shrubbery.  
  
"Neat hiding place," said Venus, "probably saw the whole fight   
too."  
  
"You think they're working together, to spy on us?" asked Jupiter.  
  
"I don't know," the blonde said with a shake of her head, "but we   
better be careful. Let's go back to the others."  
  
Tuxedo Kamen had just picked up the inert Takeo and Jupiter was   
picking up Asai when a new sound broke through the steady rainfall, an   
unearthly howl accompanying a flash of lightning sending chills down   
their spines.  
  
"What...what was that?" stammered Sailor Moon.  
  
Mercury whipped out her computer, and her eyes widened.  
  
"Guys? They're back! At least one of them is, though I'm willing   
to guess the third one is with him too...a mile due north," she said as   
she pointed.  
  
"So what are we waiting for? Let's go get them!" cried Jupiter.  
  
"But what about these two?" Mars said, pointing to Takeo and Asai,   
"We just can't take them into the fight, or leave them here."  
  
"Sailor Mars is right," said Tuxedo Kamen, "Jupiter and I will   
take these civilians to the hospital...there's one nearby. The rest of   
you check out Mercury's readings, but don't engage them yet. Wait for   
us before you do anything."  
  
The girls nodded, and the group split up to complete the assigned   
tasks.  
  
  
  
The stranger sighed, "That's supposed to scare me?"  
  
Nagash had morphed into his true form. He now stood seven feet   
tall with purple skin that rippled over large muscles. His bald head   
was unusually rounded with sharply pointed ears on either side. The   
image was completed by a large tail, long clawed feet, and bat-like   
wings. The clothing he'd worn as a human had transformed as well,   
changing into a dark tunic.  
  
Nagash's eyes were raging red, and he growled, displaying a row   
of sharp teeth. He drew a scimitar from his back scabbard, challenging   
the stranger.  
  
"Prepare to die, petulant human," he bristled, "not only will I   
feast on your pathetic hide, but on your very soul as well!" Nagash   
snarled, taking a step toward the stranger.  
  
The figure stood straight up, not breaking away from Nagash's   
gaze, and reached into his shirt. "My friend, perhaps it is YOU who   
doesn't know with who you're dealing," Rolie warned as he brought out   
something that hung about his neck.  
  
Nagash snarled again, taking notice of the object his opponent   
had withdrawn, peering at it suspiciously.  
  
It was a small dragon-shaped pendant, seemingly made of gold.  
  
It was glowing.  
  
*What is that?* Nagash thought, looking at the stranger's face   
again and seeing that the stranger's eyes looked like they were   
glowing too. A chill went down Nagash's spine.  
  
*Who is this human? I never saw a human's eyes glow   
like...that...?* and he paused, a chilling thought coming to his mind.  
  
"Who are you??" Nagash called out, causing Rolie to grin.  
  
"The name's Drake, at your service. Perhaps you've heard of me?" he said.  
  
Nagash's eyes widened...he HAD heard of the name, but *...no,   
impossible, it can't be the same Drake...he's taking me for a fool!*  
  
"You're lying, filthy human! I will cut you down and make   
mincemeat out of you!" he screamed.  
  
Rolie drew out his katana, his face now hardened, his stance at   
the ready.  
  
"Try me."  
  
Nagash roared, and charged at Rolie. Rolie began his own charge,   
and both leaped into the air, swords swinging.  
  
SWOOSH!!  
  
  
  
CRASH!!! BOOOOM!!!!  
  
"AIEEE!!"  
  
"Sailor Moon, will you calm down?!" yelled Sailor Mars.  
  
"I HATE lightning!" cried the blonde, "and that last one was too   
close!"  
  
The four senshi, Sailors Mars, Mercury, Venus, and Eternal Moon   
had ducked into a gazebo. Mars was fuming, Moon was trembling, Venus   
sweatdropped, and Mercury was typing away on her computer.  
  
"Mercury? What's the hold up?" asked Venus.  
  
"The electrical field overhead is causing an unusual disturbance.   
A high concentration of charged ions is interfering with my sensor   
readouts. I'm trying to compensate the electrical fields and anomalies,   
filtering them out so I can get a good reading on our position and our   
intruders."  
  
Silence greeted her response and she stopped typing, looking back   
at the others who greeted her with blank stares.  
  
She flushed, and cleared her throat, "Err, I mean, the lightning   
messed up my computer, and I'm trying to fix it?"  
  
"Ooohhhh..." the other senshi said in unison.  
  
"Sorry," Mercury muttered, "it's been frustrating."  
  
"Oh Mercury, it's all right," Sailor Moon said, and she clutched   
her friend's hand. "We know you're doing your best. We're behind you   
all the way." Mars and Venus nodded.  
  
Mercury smiled back, "Thanks, guys."  
  
A beeping sound brought them out of their reverie, and Mercury   
glanced at her computer, and typed a few keys. Seconds later, she   
spoke.  
  
"Our intruder...make that intruders, have moved again, and   
they're another half mile up the path," she announced.  
  
Venus frowned, "So the third guy has shown up again? With number   
two?" she asked, and Mercury nodded.  
  
Moon gave out a tired sigh, "Boy, can't these guys take a break   
or something? At least stay at one place..."  
  
"Since when are you so eager to face them?" asked Mars.  
  
Moon flushed, "Well, umm, I'm not...not really..." she mumbled,   
and twiddled her fingers.  
  
Mars was about to berate her when Venus quickly interjected, "Are   
they moving, Mercury?"  
  
"No, but one of them..." and she stopped, peering at her   
readings.  
  
The others looked at her intently. "What, Mercury? What about   
one of them?" Mars pressed.  
  
"Readings on one of them...the second intruder, the demon's   
companion? Well, it's...fading," Mercury declared.  
  
The senshi looked at each other for a moment, Venus finally   
breaking the silence.  
  
"We better move. Let's go," she said, and the girls stepped into   
the rain and started toward their destination.  
  
  
  
A half-mile away, in a small clearing, two figures stood a few   
yards apart, their backs to each other, both clutching their swords.  
  
They then turned to face each other, their eyes locked...  
  
...and Nagash faltered. His sword blade broke in half, a long   
gash across his body spurting black blood. Nagash collapsed, falling   
to his knees. His crystal pendant fell off his neck, splitting into   
pieces. Nagash wrapped his arms around his body, looking back at   
Rolie in disbelief.  
  
"You....you...can't be...alive...impossible...supposed....be   
dead...." he gasped, coughing up blood.  
  
Rolie approached Nagash, sword in hand, and planted his feet in   
front of his fallen foe.  
  
"'News of my death has been greatly exaggerated', as the saying   
goes," he said, his eyes and pendant still glowing as he raised the   
sword over his head.  
  
He stared into Nagash's fading eyes, and said, "Sorry it won't be   
said the same of you."  
  
"The.....dragon....kniiiii..." Nagash sputtered.  
  
SWOOSH! THUNK!  
  
Nagash's head plopped to the ground, his face forever frozen in a   
silent scream. The rest of his body slumped lifelessly next to it.  
  
As Rolie watched, the lifeless body began to mysteriously melt   
away in the rain. The formerly slender, muscular body of the demon   
decomposed, collapsing under its own weight. Rolie narrowed his eyes   
and wrinkled his nose, his stomach turning.  
  
*Yuck,* he thought, *and I thought I had gotten over that.*  
  
Hurried footsteps brought him back from his thoughts. He quickly   
jumped up into a nearby tree and then down behind a nearby hedge,   
keeping low to the ground as he sheathed his sword and watched in   
surprise as four figures entered the clearing.  
  
*The Sailor Senshi...here? How?* he wondered, and remained   
silent, attentive.  
  
"Mercury...is...this..the place?" huffed Sailor Venus.  
  
Sailor Mercury slowly nodded, "Yes, this is the spot."  
  
Sailor Moon took in deep breaths and looked around, pouting,   
"But...there's nobody here!"  
  
"Well, isn't THAT obvious?" grumbled Sailor Mars.  
  
Mercury took out her computer and activated her visor, scanning   
the perimeter. Rolie saw her do this, and crouched lower.  
  
"Guys," she announced, "I found that fading reading of our second   
intruder...over there," she pointed, leading them away.  
  
*So,* Rolie thought, *Sailor Mercury has the means of detecting   
monsters? That explains a few things.*  
  
The girls had gathered where Nagash had fallen, and their   
response was immediate.  
  
"EWWWWWW!!!! gagged Venus and Moon.  
  
"Oh, gross!!" Mars uttered, and coughed uneasily.  
  
Even Mercury shook her head and wrinkled her nose at the sight of   
the demon's decomposing body. Moon began to retch, followed by Mars.   
Venus turned away, and Mercury turned on her visor and began tapping on   
her computer.  
  
Rolie sighed inwardly to himself. *Sorry, girls, a winged   
demon's decay was never my cup of tea, either,* he thought.  
  
"This demon is different from the other one we fought," intoned   
Mercury. "The readings I got from that one and this one here..." she   
paused, and continued, "...their body chemistries are similar with   
slight discrepancies, though I'm surprised how this one ended up."  
  
"What do you mean, Mercury?" asked Venus, who turned back to   
face her.  
  
"This one's been beheaded," she said matter-of-factly.  
  
Moon retched again, and whimpered, "....Mercury...."  
  
Mercury checked herself, "Umm, well, over there is a sword blade,   
and that's melting too," and she pointed to the broken scimitar, and   
added, "so I'm thinking there may be some link between the demons and   
their weapons."  
  
Rolie nodded. *Very good assessment, Mercury....so true from   
where they come from,* he thought.  
  
"But why is it dec.....melting? I thought witches did that,"   
asked Moon.  
  
The other three senshi sweatdropped, as did Rolie. *Oh,   
brother...*  
  
"You've been watching too many movies, you know that?" sighed   
Mars.  
  
"Well, who else have you seen melting in water?" pointed out Moon.  
  
Mars glared at her and was about to fire back, but Mercury beat   
her to it. "Whoever cut his head off may have also broken a...spell of   
some kind, and hence his rapid decay," she said.  
  
"A broken spell...or a broken crystal?" queried Venus.  
  
Mercury, Moon, and Mars look at Venus quizzically, and she   
pointed at a spot on the ground near her feet. There, broken pieces of   
a small crystal lay, a couple of pieces with leather cord still   
attached; they too were melting away. Mercury brought her computer to   
bear, while the others peered at the shattered remains.  
  
"What was it?" Mars asked.  
  
"Looks like pieces of a jewel or crystal...or a precious stone,"   
said Mercury.  
  
"Like a diamond?" asked Moon.  
  
"I'm not sure, Sailor Moon. There's not much left to scan, and   
residual traces of energy are virtually nil. It's as dead as the   
demon," said Mercury.  
  
"It doesn't answer the main question, though...who killed this   
demon? The third intruder? We don't know if it was him who did it,   
and if it was, why?" Mars pointed out.  
  
Mercury had no answer, neither did Moon. But Venus hadn't said   
anything. She kept staring at the shattered jewel. Bending down she   
picked up a nearby twig and prodded gently at the remains.  
  
"Hmmm," she breathed aloud.  
  
"Venus? You okay, girl?" asked Moon.  
  
Venus sighed again, "Yes, Sailor Moon. I was just making...a   
closer observation," she said hesitantly and scratched at her red hair   
bow.  
  
Rolie raised an eyebrow, and tilted his head, focusing on Sailor   
Venus. *The demon's power crystal gets her attention?* he surmised,   
*almost as if she knows something? Interesting...*  
  
"Hey look! The rain's stopping," said Moon.  
  
Mercury closed her computer. "So much for electrical interference.   
The demon's practically gone now," she said as she gazed at the now   
smoldering pile of what was left of Nagash's body.  
  
"So what do we do now?" asked Mars.  
  
"Well, Tuxedo Kamen and Sailor Jupiter haven't arrived from the   
hospital yet, and I can't detect any trace of the third intruder, so   
he's probably gone by now. There's nothing left here to do," said   
Mercury.  
  
"So let's call them on our communicators and regroup at the   
shrine, then," suggested Mars.  
  
"Yeah!" exclaimed Moon, "I get to finally finish the manga I was   
reading before we came here."  
  
Mars' eyes widened, and she glared at Sailor Moon.  
  
"And JUST what do you mean by THAT? Manga? MY mangas? You've   
been going through my stash again, haven't you?!" she cried.  
  
"Eeep! Umm, heh heh, " she murmured, sweatdropping, "Well, Mars,   
let me tell you of a funny scene in #17..."  
  
"I HAVEN'T READ THAT PART YET!!!" Mars bellowed.  
  
"It's really funny! Honest!" countered Moon, backing off and   
making to the clearing entrance.  
  
Steam came out of Mars's ears, and she stepped forward with a   
deadly look on her face. "Why you..." she growled and began chasing   
after the fleeing blonde.  
  
Mercury giggled, shaking her head and looking at Venus, but Venus   
was still staring at the now shrunken crystal pieces.  
  
"Sailor Venus? Are you coming?" asked Mercury.  
  
"Huh? Oh...yeah," she said, standing up.  
  
"You sure you're all right? Is it the crystal?"  
  
Venus looked back to the bushes, heard and saw nothing, and   
finally shook her head, "No...just curious, that's all...as they say,   
'a boiled pot never watches'."  
  
Mercury coughed, and said, "Umm, that's 'a watched pot never   
boils'."  
  
Venus shrugged, "Whatever. So, shall we save our fearless leader   
from the clutches of a ticked-off fire senshi?" she asked, giggling.  
  
Mercury smiled, nodding and following Venus out of the clearing.   
A quiet lull had settled in as the storm died away.  
  
  
  
Blackness.  
  
*Asai-ko! Asai-ko!*  
  
Heavy breathing.  
  
*ASAI-KO!!*  
  
Flashes of pain racked his mind, until a bright light froze his   
breath.  
  
Takeo awoke, and gasped.  
  
"Asai-ko!!" he weakly cried.  
  
A hand touched his arm, startling him, "Whaa...?"  
  
"Easy, easy there, Mr. Nishimura," a gentle voice said.  
  
Takeo looked toward the sound of the voice and saw...a nurse?   
Shocked, he looked around and found himself sitting in a hospital bed   
with IV lines coming out of his arm.  
  
"What...what..happened?" he strained to say.  
  
"Don't talk, Mr. Nishimura...you're safe now," said the nurse.  
  
"But...my girlfriend...Asai-chan..." he whimpered.  
  
The nurse smiled, and pointed to the opposite side of the bed.   
Takeo turned his head, and beheld Asai on a bed next to him, sleeping   
soundly.  
  
"Miss Kobe is also out of danger as well, Mr. Nishimura,"   
explained the nurse.  
  
"But ... how did I ... how did she ...?" he whispered.  
  
"You can thank the Sailor Senshi for that, and their escort,   
Tuxedo Kamen," she said.  
  
"Huh?" asked Takeo.  
  
"A tall brunette senshi carried Miss Kobe in and Tuxedo Kamen   
brought you. They left you both with us at Emergency, and then left.   
The doctors took care of you," the nurse explained slowly.  
  
Takeo laid back on bed, breathing sighs of relief. He looked at   
the nurse again, and softly asked, "May I sit next to her, please?"  
  
The nurse looked at his chart, and smiled again, "Well, Mr.   
Nishimura, as long as you take the IV stand with you and take a chair,   
I would say of course. But I'm serious about your voice. You have   
damaged vocal cords. She sustained bruised ribs and both of you have   
minor cuts and bruises. Go to her...gingerly." At that she stepped   
out of the room.  
  
Takeo pulled off his covers, wincing as he shuffled to Asai's   
bedside, pulling his wheeled IV stand and a chair to with him. Sitting   
next to her, he leaned his head against her pillow. As he gently   
stroked her bandaged face, a tear fell from his eye, and his lips   
trembled.  
  
"Asai-ko, oh Asai-ko," he whispered, "Thank Kami for the Sailor   
Senshi, for Tuxedo Kamen...we're alive...oh Asai-ko...aisheteru...I   
love you..."  
  
Asai, still asleep, unconsciously turned her head to him, a small   
smile spreading across her pale lips. Takeo continued lovingly   
stroking her hair and her face as the various monitors kept a silent   
vigil.  
  
  
  
Nightfall.  
  
Back at the park, Rolie was resting under a tree by the bridge,   
writing in a small book and pondering of the day's events.  
  
"Dear Diary," he wrote, "This started off as a typical day. Woke   
up in the morning, went to a public bathhouse for a shower, ate   
breakfast, and hiked through rugged mountain terrain...good for the   
hiking boots but a chore on the shoulders, especially when you lug   
around a heavy backpack, but I digress...  
  
"Arrived at Fujiyoshida Park outside Tokyo, right under Mt. Fuji,   
as beautiful as I remember it, but then the gods decided to get frisky   
and play some lightning bowling, and left their heavenly faucets   
running. Heh, go figure...the gods committing a redundant human   
foible?"  
  
He shook his head, "Naaaahh," he concluded, and continued, "But   
it gets better...or worse, Diary...take your pick. Today I witnessed   
the famed Sailor Senshi in action, taking on demons..." and he paused,   
and took a deep breath.  
  
"THEY are here, Diary, the Soultakers are here. Geez, and I was   
getting used to decades of peace and quiet, and THEY pop up again.   
Why? Why are they here?"  
  
He chuckled to himself, and wrote, "Heh, I asked myself that very   
question: Why am I here? One of the great questions of all time,   
making or breaking the careers of philosophers, poets, psychologists,   
romance writers, and thousands of others, yet for me, the answer has   
been simple. When the demons arise, it's up to me to fight them, by   
any means necessary, and defeat them. Hah! I think I need a contract   
renegotiation," and he couldn't help but laugh to himself.  
  
"They're up to something, of course, though what it is, I'm not   
sure yet. It's going to take time, and I need a base of operations to   
work from," he wrote, and he pulled out a small piece of paper from his   
pocket, and gazed at the address on it...  
  
...in the Juuban district. Rolie raised an eyebrow.  
  
"Old Archie may be an old coot, but he's no fool," he wrote, "he   
knows how to pick the ideal locations. He even has the house picked,   
but does he help with the job search? Oh, heaven forbid! 'I'll   
getcha the house', he says, 'but YOU gotta look for the job yourself,   
kid. I'm a realtor, not a job counselor!' Heh, that's gratitude for   
you," and he chuckled.  
  
"Well, he hasn't let me down, and once I get my stuff from   
Hokkaido in order, and working my new cover, I can find out what the   
Soultakers are up to. Last thing I need is another Siberia episode..."   
Rolie trailed off, and shuddered.  
  
*Siberia...whoa, now THAT was a real doozy,* he thought, *I   
really hope I don't go through that again...don't think I can handle   
it...*  
  
He continued, "Anyways, Diary, it seems I have my work cut out   
for me...and speaking of cutting..." and reached to his left shoulder   
and pulled on his shirt, and looked inside. A bright red gash ran from   
his shoulder blade near his neck to his armpit. He winced, turning   
back to the diary.  
  
"That winged demon almost got me, or at least almost got my arm   
off. Good thing the hiking toughened the shoulder muscles. I just   
managed to get move just far enough away from his blade to strike him,   
though my sword work is rusty. I've got to get back into fighting   
shape again, and because I don't know how far along the Soultakers are   
in their plans, I'll have to play catch-up...which means I'll need all   
the resources I can get...I'll need help..."  
  
He paused, and looked at Tokyo's city lights twinkling in the   
distance.  
  
He continued, "Could the Senshi help? I don't know. Will they   
help? I don't know either, and I'm not sure if I want them to.   
They're not aware of how dangerous this business is, and Siberia has   
taught me some hard lessons...hard and painful lessons," he sadly   
sighed.  
  
"I have to give them plenty of credit, though," he wrote, "even   
at their age. Five young girls, and one young man...Tuxedo Kamen is a   
puzzle. Tall, lithe, graceful...but what's with the hat? And the tux   
getup? A mystery, for sure, but he provides them with good backup, I   
suppose, especially to Sailor Moon.  
  
"Sailor Moon, the blond, pigtailed leader of the Senshi...and a   
winged one at that, though she doesn't fly. Kind of whiny and klutzy,   
and that almost got her killed, but she has Tuxie to sweep her up into   
his arms..heheheh.  
  
"Sailor Jupiter looks strong in physique and in the head...make   
that a hard head under that brunette hairstyle. Brave, yet reckless.   
A hard charger, fists flying...heh, she almost caught me in the bush   
where I was hiding. But she keeps doing that, it's going to get her   
hurt, or worse.  
  
"Sailor Mars, a raven-haired one, packing some heavy firepower,   
literally. Uppity in attitude, and a sharp tongue. To be on her bad   
side is NOT a good idea.  
  
"Sailor Mercury's the quiet, yet wise tactician. Not as   
up-foward as the others, but under that blue hair is a great mind, and   
with that palmtop she has, along with her own powers, she is one to be   
reckoned with. Hmm, wonder if that thing's sensors picked up any   
readings of me like that of the demons'..."  
  
"Then there's Sailor Venus, another blonde. Spunky, conscious   
of her surroundings, with wavy hair...and a red bow...that red   
bow..."  
  
Rolie pondered a bit before continuing, "I don't know, Diary, but   
something about Sailor Venus...and another girl I knew...three years   
ago, in Europe...she wore a red bow just like Venus's...but that's   
unlikely. Many girls, I'm sure, wear red bows in their hair, and   
besides, the other girl I knew in Europe...is dead...killed in an   
explosion..."  
  
Rolie shook his head and sighed. *Man, a chore on the emotions,   
and I need some sleep,* he thought wistfully.  
  
"Well, Diary, I'm signing off...it has been a busy day. By   
tomorrow afternoon, I will be in that new house in Juuban, have to make   
some calls to settle in, and begin my watch on both the Soultakers AND   
the Sailor Senshi. I'll keep an eye on them, gather information, and  
dispatch of the demons when need be...I'll make myself known,   
eventually...but at my own time and choosing. The Senshi are going to   
need all the help they can get...and so will I."  
  
He closed the book and stored it in his backpack, and crawled   
into his sleeping bag, but remained sitting up. He reached into his   
shirt and placed his hand on the wound, closed his eyes, and   
concentrated. His pendant glowed faintly, and so did his hand.   
Within minutes, the angry red welt was gone, with hardly a trace of   
any scars left behind.  
  
*A patch-up job, for sure,* he smiled to himself.  
  
He fixed his pack to make it like a pillow, and leaning back   
was soon fast asleep; Tokyo's lights blinking in the distance, the   
full moon bathing the park in a soft glow.  
  
Under the protection of the small bridge, Rolie slept soundly.  
  
  
  
End Chapter 1  
2-15-02 


	3. Dragon of the MoonChapter 2

Disclaimer: Sailor Moon and related characters to Sailor Moon belong to   
Naoko Takeuchi, not me. Just so we are clear on that. All other   
original characters are of my design, thank you very much.  
Note: The "*...*" indicate the character's thoughts.  
Thank you for reading, and enjoy!  
  
HAL:-)  
  
  
  
Dragon of the Moon--Chapter 2  
  
  
"We do not know the true value of our moments until they have undergone   
the test of memory."   
-Georges Duhamel, The Heart's Domain   
  
  
  
*The hungry predator approaches his target silently. His species,   
blessed with uncanny abilities of stealth and surprise, knows how to   
use them to his advantage. His victim slept, a quiet sullen form not   
ten feet away, perilously unaware of the danger...*  
*...so far, so good...*  
*...the predator crouches lower, dragging his body against the   
ground, senses on high alert as he stares foward...*  
*...closer he comes....closer....*  
*...body tenses, haunches ready for the spring, he stops, making   
absolutely sure his victim has not moved...*  
*...she hasn't moved...perfect...*  
*...no escape for his quarry this time...he launches into the air,   
yelling...*  
"WAKE UP MINA...AAAHHHHH!!"  
PLOP!! CRASH!!  
"That you, Artemis?" a voice called out.  
Minako, wearing her orange pajamas and a toothbrush in her mouth,   
focused her eyes at the "carnage" in her room. On top of her bed, a   
writhing mass of stuffed oversized dolls wiggled, and a low groan was   
heard from under them. She began to giggle, then broke out laughing.  
"HAHAHAHA!! Honestly, Artemis," she giggled, "you really need to   
work on that 'bending tiger, shy dragon' bit some more," and she went   
back to the bathroom to finish brushing her teeth.  
A small white head popped through the mass of cute dolls, fuming.  
"Ughh! That's 'crouching tiger, hid...,' ohhh, never mind," he   
grumbled.  
  
  
Later, as Minako walked down the hillside street from her home,   
Artemis caught up with her and saw that she sported a far-away look on   
her face, her bookbag lazily moving back and forth in her hand.  
"Is there something the matter, Mina-chan?" asked the white cat.  
"Huh?" said Mina startlingly, "umm, no, nothing's the matter,   
Artemis. What do you mean?"  
Artemis looked at her dubiously, "Well, this is the third day you   
had woken up early for school, which is quite a surprising feat,   
indeed..."  
Mina stopped, and glared down at her guardian cat. "Well, what's   
wrong with that, may I ask? Since when did it become a crime to wake up   
early for school, hmmm?" she questioned, placing her hands on her hips.  
"Mina," countered the cat, "in all our time together, you NEVER   
woke up early...at least never three hours ahead of the school bell."  
Mina's face darkened.  
"Humph! Baka cat," she huffed, "just goes to show how much you   
know, which isn't much at all, it seems," and she turned on her heel   
and walked away.  
*Ouch, that stings,* winced Artemis, but he was determined to get   
to the bottom of it, and called out, "Was it the demon attack?"  
Mina suddenly stopped, and then slumped her shoulders.  
*So, I was right,* thought Artemis, and walked over to Mina, who   
had leaned against a tall wall, her head drooping.  
Finally, she said shamefacedly, "I'm sorry, Artemis. I was very   
mean and rude to you back there. Please forgive me?"  
He shook his head, and said, "No, Mina...forgive me. I was the   
one pressing a little too hard on you," and he rubbed his head against   
her ankle.  
Smiling, Mina picked him up and rubbed noses with him.  
"Apology given..." she started.  
"...and apology accepted," Artemis finished, and purred.  
She leaned against the wall. "Thanks, Artemis," she sighed, "but   
you were right. It was the demon attack that's on my mind.  
"So I had surmised," he repiled, "what's the trouble?"  
"That's just it, Artemis. I just don't know, and it's driving me   
crazy. I haven't had a good night's sleep for the past couple of   
days."  
"Well, what can you tell me what's bothering you, Mina?" asked   
Artemis.  
Mina thought for a bit, and said, "All I can think of is the   
smashed crystal we found by the monster's body."  
"Anything special about it?"  
"Only that it was crystal clear like glass or plastic, but it   
melted away so fast Ami had no chance to study it."  
"Melted?"  
"Yeah, like snow or melting ice cream...it melted away into the   
ground."  
Artemis now thought for a while, until Mina asked, "You might   
know something?"  
Artemis slowly shook his head, and said, "Not without a sample or   
at least looking at it myself, but the fact you said melted away like   
ice cream..."  
"Yeah?"  
Artemis closed his eyes and deeply sighed. "I'm sorry, Mina. I   
guess we're not helping each other much, huh?"  
"Guess not," she sighed, "Oh well, maybe we'll get another chance   
soon with another demon."  
Artemis looked at her sharply, and said, "Careful, Mina. A demon   
is not likely to just give you his crystal."  
Mina gave him a mischeivous look. "Oh no, I'm thinking of using   
my profound powers of love to get that crystal," she said sarcastically   
and batted her eyes mockingly at the cat.  
Artemis tilted his head as he regarded Mina skeptically.   
"Mina..."  
"I'm kidding, you silly cat," she giggled.  
"I was about to say...you better get going to school. I'll talk   
to Luna about the crystal later," he said.  
Mina glanced at her watch and sucked in her breath, "Oooh, yes, I   
better go," and she put the cat down, picked up her bag, and started   
running down the street.  
"Bye, Artemis!" she called out as she looked back.  
"Better watch out where you're going..." he said, but Mina didn't   
hear him in time. A jogger had come around the corner Mina was   
approaching, and with Mina's head turned, the collision was inevitable.  
CRASH!!!  
"OOOF!! OWW, HEY!! WHOA!!"  
Both the jogger and Mina were tangled up, and tumbling backward   
toward the street curb. Mina spotted they were heading toward a puddle,   
and shrieked, "Aiee!!" and closed her eyes, awaiting for the incoming   
splash...  
SPLASH!!!  
A few seconds later, a voice said quietly, "Umm, miss?"   
Mina still had her eyes closed, but was puzzled...she heard the   
splash, but she didn't feel wet.  
*What's happened? How come I'm not...uh oh,* she dreaded.  
She opened her eyes slowly and gazed into a set of deep hazel   
eyes, along with soft facial features that accompanied them, but the   
eyes held her.  
*Oh...my...goodness,* she thought dreamily and her breath caught.   
The jogger's eyebrow raised, and he spoke again, "Umm, you think   
you can stand up now, so I can stand up myself?"  
Mina blinked, and suddenly realized what had happened. She was   
not wet becuase she was being held up in the air by the jogger's hands   
on her waist, but unfortunately for the jogger, the rest of him was IN   
the puddle.  
*Oh, man...* she thought, and immediately blushed.  
"OH! Oh, I'm so..." she stuttered as she stood up, and the   
jogger managed to take his body out of the puddle, drenched in puddle   
water.  
"...so SORRY!" she finished, and the jogger sighed heavily. "I   
didn't mean...well, what I'm saying is, umm...I didn't see...err, I   
didn't know," she mumbled.  
The jogger shook his head as well as his dripping clothes and   
said, "It's..all right."  
"No, it's not!" Mina cried, and she beat her head, "I wasn't   
looking where I was going, I bumped...no, crashed into you, you saved   
me from the water but you're all wet because of me I'm such a ditz oh   
I'm so so sorry mister..." and she began to tear up.  
"Miss? Miss??" the jogger interrupted and grabbed the hand Mina   
was beating herself with.  
Mina slowly looked at him again, and was surprised that the young   
man was grinning at her.  
"It's really all right," he continued, "this jogging suit was due   
for a wash anyways, though I would have preferred not to be washed and   
drip-dried along with it."  
A giggle escaped Mina and she clasped a hand over mouth. The man   
began to chuckle. Both tittered, then broke out in uproarious laughter.  
"Hahahaha!...oh my!," Mina chortled, and regarded the wet jogger   
again. "I could at least pay for the cleaning..."  
The jogger shook his head, and said, "Nah, it's okay, really it   
is. I'll just pop it in the laundry when I get home."  
"Do you you live far?" Mina asked.  
"Nope," he said, "I'm up the road you just came down from, at 56   
Minatu-ku, at the top of the hill,' and he pointed the way.  
Mina's eyes widened, and exclaimed, "I live two doors down from   
you! In Number 48! You mean you live in Hilltop Manor?"  
He cocked his head. "Hmm, never heard it called THAT before,"   
he said.  
Mina flushed again, and said, "Oh...well, it's because...well,   
it's a big house..." *Nice work, Mina,* she inwardly kicked herself.  
He nodded. *Four bedrooms, three baths, two floors, large rooms,   
with fairly-sized backyard, porch, garage,* he thought dizzingly, and   
said, "Yeah, I guess it does deserve that title, doesn't it?"  
Mina giggled, and thought, *Whew, at least he's not crabby like   
the other neighbors we had. He looks cute too...even when he is wet,*   
and she mildly blushed.  
The jogger smiled again, and struck out his hand. "I'm Roland   
Drake, by the way."  
Mina took his hand and shook it. "Minako Aino, and pleased to   
meet you, Mr. Drake-san."  
"The pleasure's all mine, Aino-san," he chuckled, "but please,   
call me Rolie. All of my friends do."  
"Then you can call me Mina...Rolie-san," smiled Mina.  
"Of course...Mina-san," smiled back Rolie.  
For a brief moment, both looked at each other's eyes, and beheld   
each other. Time seemed to stop, as if it's accomodating them to try   
to look beyond those eyes.  
*Long blonde hair...sparkling blue eyes...lovely smile...very   
cute...no, beautiful,* thought Rolie wonderingly.  
*Those deep hazel eyes of his...black hair...charming...I feel at   
ease with him...handsome, too,* dreamily thought Mina.  
It lasted a moment, but for both of them, it seemed a lifetime,   
though somehow familiar...  
Rolie broke his gaze first, looked at his watch, and said, "I   
think I held you long enough, Mina. Don't you have school to go to?"  
Mina blinked, and her eyes widened.   
"Oh no! I better jet!" she gasped, and picked up her bag, but   
before she left, she quickly bowed and said, "Umm, nice to meet you,   
and I'm sorry again, Rolie. Bye!" and she zoomed down the opposite   
way.  
"Nice to have met you...too, Mina," he said as he waved, and   
chuckled again, "Hehe...wow, she took off like a rocket."  
He looked down at his damp clothes and sighed, "Oh well, might as   
well go home and out of these rags into something drier and settle in   
some more."  
He walked up the hill street, and soon paused in front of Mina's   
house, and just as she had said, it wasn't far from his own home. As   
he glanced about, he could have sworn he saw something peer from a   
second story window, but it had dropped out of sight when he looked.  
*Hmm, a pet cat or something?* he thought, and he shrugged, and   
continued his walk to his house.  
When he arrived at the walkway, he gazed at his new home, and   
shook his head.  
"'Hilltop Manor,' is it?" he muttered, "Geez, Archie, couldn't   
you have picked something a little bit bigger? Like the Japanese   
Imperial Palace, perhaps? The Taj Mahal? Buckingham Palace?"  
He entered and walked through barely-furnished rooms, still   
muttering, "The White House? Hey, if you get the Versailles Palace, I   
can make a killing with the rent!  
He went up the stairs to his room, took of his jogging suit,   
showered, and put on a pair of shorts and t-shirt, and placed the wet   
suit in the washer downstairs. He then made his way to the backyard.  
Rolie shook his head again as he gazed at the wide expanse of the   
yard. "I can play a football game in here, if it weren't for those   
trees at the far side. Though it does give a splendid view of the   
city. Ah, well, might as well get to my exercises," he said, and he   
began his regimen.  
His training did not go unnoticed, however. Deep in the trees at   
the far end of the yard, a pair of eyes monitored his progress.  
*Hmm,* thought Artemis, *well, he seems to like being in shape,   
but after that affair with Mina, he still bears watching, I'd say.*  
  
  
Later that day, at the Crown Game Center, things were not going   
so good with Motoki Furuhata.  
"What do you mean, your driver got lost? How can a delivery   
driver get lost?" he spoke tersely on the office phone. "A new driver?   
What happened to the old one?...Too many speeding tickets, running   
lights, uh huh...oh, just wonderful...no, not until your new guy comes   
in with that shipment of chocolate ice cream, I'm going to have to beat   
half my clients off with a stick...ohh, very well, how soon then? AN   
HOUR?? It'll be melted by then!...Ughh, fine fine, an hour   
then...hopefully the riot squad can bail me out alive. Yeah, next time,   
have your drivers carry a map, okay? Good day," and he closed the   
phone hard, and shook his head.  
"Mamoru-kun's gonna kill me, and if he won't, Usagi-chan will,"   
he muttered, and went out from the back office to the front counter.  
For half an hour he kept watch at the wall clock, as if counting   
down his final minutes on earth, until the door opened and a new   
customer walked in. Initially Motoki took no notice of the customer,   
until he took his seat at the counter stool, and cleared his throat.  
"Ahem," the customer said.  
"Oh, good afternoon, sir," Motoki said listlessly, "what will you   
have?"  
The customer raised an eyebrow, and said, "Screwdriver, on the   
rocks."  
Unflinching, Motoki answered, "Got it, screwdriver, on..." and he   
paused, catching what he had just said, and blinked. He turned back to   
the customer, a young black-haired man wearing a black jacket, who was   
sporting a mischievous smile on his face.  
"Umm, sir?" Motoki said, lost.  
"Gotcha! I'm kidding," laughed the man.  
Motoki realized the joke's on him, and laughed along with him.  
"Hahaha! You got me, sir. I apologize."  
"Not a problem. You looked like you were waiting for a firing   
squad with that face, so let's say I gave you your proverbial "last   
puff on cigarette" routine," the man chuckled.  
"Well, thanks for that. So what can I get you?" asked Motoki.  
"Hmm, let's see...a chocolate soda?"  
Motoki's heart sank again, and said, "You could have been one of   
the shooters. I'm sorry sir, but we are right now out of chocolate.   
We ran low in supplies from a benefit last night, and I made a   
last-minute order, but my delivery is...delayed," he said sourly.  
"Ahh, so that explains the long face. And chocolate sodas are   
your specialty?"  
Motoki nodded, "And for a couple of friends of mine, it's a   
reward for good grades."  
The man nodded, and said, "I see. Well, how about 'Plan B'?"  
Motoki looked puzzled. "'Plan B?'"  
"'B' as in 'backup,' an alternative to...wait, no 'backup' plan?"  
Motoki shook his head.  
"Hmm, then with your permission, a suggestion? Let's see," and   
he scanned the items on the wall menu, and pointed to one item, "...and   
how about a smoothie?"  
Motoki regarded the man skeptically. "I don't know, one of them   
is very fond of chocolate."  
"Then we will have to make this especially good for this friend   
of yours," he said, and walked behind the counter, and asked, "mind if   
I give it a try?"  
Motoki shrugged, and let him through, and the man proceeded to   
prepare his concoction. After a few minutes, he turned back to   
Motoki, with a tall glass in hand, filled with a pink frothy fluid.  
Motoki looked at it, and asked, "A strawberry smoothie?"  
The man nodded, but added, "With a special ingredient. Try it.   
You will need to like it enough so you can sell it to your friend."  
Motoki shrugged, and thought, *Well, what have I got to lose,   
either this or face the wrath of Mamoru and Usagi,* and he put in a   
straw and took a sip.  
His eyes widened, and sipped again, and again, each time smiling   
as he sipped.  
"Wow, this has a kick to it!" Motoki said excitedly, "so what did   
you add to it?"  
"Extra strawberries. This is an all-natural strawberry-banana   
smoothie, none of the manufactured stuff. Just add your regular   
ingredients, but at the end, add a small cup of fresh strawberries, and   
blend them for a few seconds, and you have a smoothie with rich   
texture."  
"Yes, it does add a zing to it. Oh, thank you, sir! I'll make   
you one myself right now," said Motoki, and took his turn making the   
smoothie, while the man walked back to his stool.  
Soon, Motoki came back with another tall glass, and handed it to   
the man, and asked, "What is your name, sir?"  
"The name's Roland Drake," and stuck out his hand.  
Motoki shook it firmly, "Motoki Furuhata, at your service sir,   
and if I must say, you probably saved my skin today."  
Rolie chuckled, "Please call me Rolie, Furuhata-san, and it's a   
pleasure to give you the repreive."  
Motoki nodded, "And you can call me Motoki, Rolie-san. Cheers!"   
and they both clinked the glasses, and sipped their drinks.  
Then Rolie wondered aloud, "Furuhata...Furuhata..."  
"Yes, sir?"  
"Hmm, your name sounds familiar...do you by chance know of a   
Yoshiro Furuhata?"  
Motoki eyes widened and his breath caught, and said, "Yes...he's   
my father."  
Now Rolie's eyes widened. "He is?" he excalimed, "Well, this is  
a surprise!" and shook Motoki's hand again. "You're Yoshiro's son?   
And running this place? Amazing! Your dad must be proud of you!"  
Motoki nodded slowly, and said quietly, "He is."  
"Well, he must be. The guy knew how to run a business,   
especially that music store of his. How is he, by the way? I would   
like to see him."  
Motoki shook his head, looking down at his drink, and said,   
"Papa passed away four years ago...cancer."  
Rolie gasped, and whispered, "Oh no...oh, I'm so sorry,   
Motoki-san."  
Motoki looked up, smiled sadly, and nodded.   
Rolie gripped Motoki's hand, and said, "Your father was a good   
man, Motoki, a very good businessman, and I'm sure a wonderful father   
to you."  
"Yes, he was," Motoki sighed, "he made friends everywhere, as was   
his nature. I wouldn't have been surprised if you were his friend,   
Rolie-san."  
"I was when I spoke to him last, and I would like to pay my   
respects to him and your family, if I may?"  
"I would be honored, Rolie-san."  
"A toast, then," said Rolie, and raised his glass, "to Yoshiro   
Furuhata, a great friend, with a keen eye in business, and a great   
father to his son."  
"And daughter," Motoki added, "my sister, Unazuki, who helps me   
waiting tables."  
Rolie sighed, and nodded. "I'll drink..err, sip to that," he   
chuckled. Motoki chuckled with him, and they both clinked their   
glasses again.  
After a few quiet sips, Rolie continued, "So, Motoki, your father   
ran some stores here in Tokyo. What has become of them?"  
Motoki stirred his glass slowly, and said, "Well, Papa may have   
been good in the business world, but his succesors were not. I was   
still in school, so I couldn't do anything yet, so my uncle Hiro, my   
father's brother, took over the businesses, but he couldn't handle it   
all as deftly as my father had. He had to give in to corporate   
partners, who then sold the stores. What's left was this place, the   
Crown Game Center, and the original music store Papa had started years   
ago."  
"Hmm, corporate takeovers, huh?" nodded Rolie.  
"Yes," Motoki nodded, "we of course went to litigation, but it   
was becoming an expensive affair, so Uncle Hiro decided to settle with   
the music store and the Center, but he wanted someone on the family to   
manage this place, while he ran the music store. I volunteered, so I   
became manager of this place, with Uncle Hiro's help. He really owns   
the place, I just operate it, so it frees him to operate the music   
store, so that's how we stand now."  
"Well, it looks like your uncle chose well for a manager...but   
for the missing chocolate, I think you're gonna have to bribe me for my   
eternal silence," Rolie chuckled.  
Motoki laughed, and said, "I'll introduce you to him sometime,   
but right now," and he glanced at the wall clock, "the stampede should   
be arriving any minute, and I better get ready for that shipment, so if   
you pardon me, Rolie-san?"  
"Of course, Motoki-san," Rolie said and shook Motoki's hand   
again, and as Motoki went to the gameroom, Rolie turned around on the   
stool and watched the main door, slightly puzzled.  
*Stampede? A stampede of what?* Rolie thought, and his answer   
practically rumbled to the door.  
First one, then three, then a small swarm of children and   
teenagers made their way into the gameroom, vocal challenges flying   
through the air of who is the best gamer. The Crown Game Center had   
come to life, the air filled with electronic sounds and the steady   
chatter of customers and gamers.  
"Yikes! It's a virtual human tidal wave," muttered Rolie as he   
sweatdropped, and he turned around again to face the counter, suddenly   
finding the menu items more interesting. He never saw a small group of   
four giggling and chattering teenage girls enter the Center and make   
their way to a booth at the far end of the Center's cafeteria, roughly   
20 feet away from Rolie's spot on the counter.  
One of the four, a tall brunette, was shaking her head in   
disbelief.  
"Honestly, Usagi-chan," she was telling another who had long,   
blond pig-tails, "if it were someone else doing that to the teacher,   
aside from you, I wouldn't have believed it with my own eyes."  
"Oh, Makochan, you're just saying that," blushed Usagi.  
Another blonde with a red bow nudged the brunette's ribs. "Look   
at her, will you?" she said, "Little Miss Modesty here makes it sound   
so easy!" Usagi giggled some more.  
The fourth girl, who had short blue hair, admonished her   
red-bowed companion, "Minako Aino, the idea! We should be proud for   
Usagi for what she had done. It shows how far she had gone, which was   
very impressive indeed."  
Usagi smiled at her friend, "Aww, thanks, Ami-chan. You have   
been a great help. You, Mina, Makochan, heck, even Rei had a hand on   
it, even though she thinks she could do it better."  
"Ehh, don't fret about Rei, Usagi," said Makoto, "you have   
witnesses to back you up. And didn't Mamoru-san help you in techniques   
as well?" and she winked at Usagi, who turned a deeper shade of red.  
"Yes, Usagi-chan, what WERE those techniques Mamoru showed you,   
hmm?" a male voice interjected.  
All eyes popped open to the familiar voice, and Usagi jumped out   
of the booth and pounced the newcomer.  
"Mamochan!" she cried happily, and hugged her boyfriend.  
"Ooof! Hiya, Usako!" Mamoru chuckled, and gave her a quick peck   
on the cheek.  
"Save me, Mamochan! They're trying to get me to reveal our   
secret!" Usagi exclaimed, and the other girls rolled their eyes.  
"Oh, really? And it has been utter torture, hasn't it?" said   
Mamoru.  
"Totally!" Usagi nodded.  
"How can I join in the fun?" he said with a mischievous gleam in   
his eye.  
Usagi gasped at looked at him, shocked. "Mamochan? You   
don't...you don't mean..." she whimpered.  
"We can resort to that old, reliable method of..." and he   
dramatically paused. Everyone waited in suspense.  
"...tickling!" he declared, and he tickled Usagi's ribs.  
"EEK!!" she shrieked and laughed. The others sweatdropped and   
shook their heads.  
"Can you believe those two?" Mina muttered.  
"I bet they had this planned all along," growled Makoto.  
"With both of them, I wouldn't be surprised," huffed Ami.  
Chuckling, Mamoru finally stopped tickling Usagi and put her down   
at her seat, and asked, "So, how did it go?"  
"Well, we're kind of waiting for Rei-chan as well..." Ami began   
to say.  
And just as she said that, Rei came in through the door and   
quickly made her way to the booth where Mamoru and the other girls   
were.  
"Hi, guys! Sorry I'm late, but had a big test that needed   
finishing..." she began to say.  
"AHA!" Usagi interrupted, jumping at an opportunity to get the   
better of Rei. "You're late, Rei! We arranged this meeting at a   
certain hour, and you missed it! What do you have to say for yourself,   
hmm? Hmm??"  
A surprised Rei looked at Usagi, but her suprise was brief, and   
grinned; she will not take the bait.  
"Well, Meatball-head, it certainly wasn't due to detention,   
unlike SOME people I know..." she said pointedly at Usagi.  
Usagi's face instantly changed from mischeivous to insulted, and   
her face darkened.  
"Don't call me meatball-head, you...you..." she grumbled aloud.  
"AHEM!" the others at the booth utterred loudly.  
Usagi stopped, looked back at her friends at the booth, at   
Mamoru, and finally at Rei, who was grinning and had crossed her arms   
in triumph.  
"Nice try," she said smugly.  
"Ooooh," Usagi muttered, defeated, and sat back down.  
Mamoru cleared his throat and asked, "Well, Rei's here, so what's   
the result, Usako?"   
Usagi brightened, reached into her bookbag, and handed him a   
paper triumphantly. "I aced the speech test!" she declared.  
Rei's eyes widened, and Mamoru beamed a big smile. Sure enough,   
the paper had red mark on it that said "Very Impressive! Good work!"  
"Usako, I'm so proud of you," said Mamoru, and hugged his   
girlfriend. Rei took the paper from Mamoru's hands and looked at   
closely, and looked at the other girls who were clapping and nodding   
their heads together.  
"Yep, seeing is believing, Rei-chan," said Mina.  
"Even hearing her as she said it was more a pleasant surprise,"   
commented Makoto.  
"It even caused a stir at school. The teacher was so impressed   
at Usagi's poise and presentation, that he even commented to the other   
teachers. Usagi Tsukino getting a perfect score in speech class!"   
mentioned Ami.  
Rei looked at the paper skeptically, and huffed, "Humph, well,   
she did have SOME experience in speechmaking, you know?"  
"Aww, c'mon Rei, admit it," piped up Makoto, "you're just as   
proud at Usagi like all of us, aren't you?"  
All eyes turned on Rei, who looked back Usagi, who had an   
expectant look on her face. She finally giggled, "Hehehe, you know I   
am, you silly."  
Usagi hugged her friend tightly. "Ohh, thank you, thank you,   
Rei," she sighed gratefully.  
"Ahem!" a new voice broke in, and they all turned and saw Motoki   
watching them. "I assume with all the giggling and clapping everything   
was satisafactory?" he asked.  
"Yes indeed, Motoki-san," said Mamoru, "Usagi not only was   
satisfactory, but according to reliable sources, she floored them all   
with a perfect score on her speech test." He proudly showed the grade   
to Motoki, who smiled in wonder.  
"Well, well! Congratulations, Usagi-chan. All that hard work   
has paid off, after all," he said.  
"Oh yes, Motoki-san," she nodded, "thanks to all of my friends,"   
and she hugged Rei's shoulders, who winked back at her.  
"Well, this calls for a small celebration; a special surprise   
for just such an occasion," and he turned back to the counter where a   
tray with filled glasses awaited him.  
Usagi brightened even more. "Ooh, goodie! My favorite,   
choco...wait a minute...pink chocolate?" she exclaimed.  
Motoki laughed as he placed a tall glass in front of each of   
them, "Oh no, not chocolate. This is special."  
"Strawberry shakes?" asked a puzzled Mamoru.  
"No, Mamoru. These are strawberry-banana smoothies, made with   
all-natural ingredients. No chemicals, no prepackaged stuff or   
whatnot, but very delectable," he said.  
"But Motoki, we said..." Mamoru began to say.  
"I know, Mamoru. You and I had agreed to my special chocolate   
shakes Usagi likes, but my shipment of chocolate didn't arrive on time.   
I'm sorry, but please try this. I swear you will like it," said   
Motoki.  
Usagi looked at her glass sadly and thought, *Aww, I wanted my   
special chocolate shake...no. Motoki worked hard on this like I did on   
my test, and I'm not going to disappoint him.*   
She sighed and took a small sip. Her eyes widened, sipped some   
more, and she began to giggle.  
"Mmmm, Motoki, this tastes wonderful!" she said excitedly, and   
sipped at her drink heartily. The others, surprised at Usagi's   
enthusiasm, sipped their own drinks, and they too echoed Usagi's   
giddiness.  
"Wow, Motoki, this sure is great stuff!" exclaimed Mina.  
"No kidding, Mina," said Makoto, "Motoki-san, you gotta give me   
the recipe for this thing! It's great!"  
"Very delicious," commented Rei.  
"And all-natural?" asked Ami, and Motoki nodded. "Very   
healthy...and delicious," she judged.  
Even Mamoru was surprised, and said, "Incredible, Motoki. How   
did you come up with this?"  
Motoki flushed, and said, "well, I can't really take credit for   
this, Mamoru. This concoction is actually a friend's, one I just met   
today."  
"Really?" piped up Makoto, "my compliments to him. He must be a   
whiz on sweets!"  
"I'll do better than that," Motoki laughed, "I'll introduce him   
to you. He's still here, so I'll bring him over," and Motoki left the   
group.  
A minute later, Motoki came back with a young man in tow.  
"Minna," he announced, "allow me to introduce to you all Roland   
Drake, a friend of my late father. Rolie-san, these are my friends."  
Rolie bowed, "Pleased to meet...you..." and he stopped. His   
gaze had fallen on one girl who was sitting in the far corner of the   
booth, who was staring back at him in shock.  
Mina couldn't believe his eyes, and her breath had caught.  
"Ro..Rolie-san?" she finally whispered.  
"Mina-san?" answered Rolie. Both stared at each other's eyes   
for what seemed a long time, while the others looked on confused.  
"Rolie-san? You're okay?" asked Motoki, lightly shaking Rolie's   
arm.  
"Mina? Snap out of it, girl!" said Makoto, who was alos shaking   
Mina's arm.  
Both Rolie and Mina blinked and shook their heads, looked at   
their friends, at each other, and to everone's surprise, broke out   
laughing.  
"HAHAHA...oh dear," Rolie chuckled aloud, "forgive me, minna,   
allow me to explain..."  
"No, wait, Rolie-san, I'll explain it..." began Mina, and then   
she recalled the puddle incident, and blushed furiously. "On second   
thought..." she muttered.  
Rolie seemed to read her mind, slapped his forehead and blushed,   
"Err, oh boy..."  
"Will SOMEONE please tell us what's going on?" impatiently cried   
Usagi, and looked up and down at Rolie. "Who are you, an old boyfriend   
of Mina or something?" she asked.  
Everyone sweatdropped, and Mamoru shook his head.  
"Usagi..." Mina hissed, and blushed even redder. Usagi suddenly   
caught what she just said, and her face crumpled.  
"Usagi no baka," muttered Rei, and looked at a chuckling Rolie,   
and said, "Please forgive our friend here, Mr. Drake-san. At times her   
tact goes flying out the window," and she glared at Usagi, who was   
feeling very small then.  
Rolie laughed, "It's quite all right. I must admit I was   
surprised to see Mina again, as I take she was of seeing me."  
"You mean you WERE boyfriend and girlfriend?" queried Makoto.   
Mina shot her an angry glare and kicked Makoto's foot under the table.  
"Whoa, whoa now," said Rolie, holding his hands up. "Mina and I   
are NOT, nor were we, a couple. We never even met each other until   
this morning, and it was only for a few minutes. Hardly enough time   
to set engagements, don't you think?" and looked askance at Usagi, who   
blushed shamefacedly.  
Mamoru nudged Usagi to stand up, and she bowed at Rolie. "Gomen   
nasai, Mr. Drake-san. It was very rude of me to jump to conclusions   
like that. Please forgive me?" she pleaded, and turned to Mina.   
"Mina-chan, I'm so sorry..." she whimpered.  
Mina looked at Rolie, who nodded, and she sighed, "It's all   
right, Usagi-chan. I forgive you."  
"Same here," added Rolie, "apology accepted."  
Motoki patted Rolie's back, and said, "Well, if you excuse me,   
Rolie, everybody, but I have customers waiting and a shipment to get   
to. Make yourselves acquianted."  
"Of course," said Rolie, and added, "and please bring another   
round of smoothies, please? I'm buying."  
Motoki nodded and left, and everyone looked at him strangely.   
"Mr. Drake-san, you don't have to.." began Mamoru.  
"Please, call me Rolie. Motoki explained that this lovely lady   
aced a big test," he said, motioning to Usagi, "and a celebration was   
in order, so I hope my smoothies were to satisfaction?"  
Usagi brightened up again, and asked, "You made these smoothies?"  
Rolie nodded, "Well, I have dabbled here and there, picking up a   
thing or two. I had wanted a chocolate shake, but Motoki explained his   
problem, I made a suggestion for all-natural smoothies, I helped him   
prepare, and voila!"  
"Well, Rolie-san, you sure did save Motoki's hide. These   
smoothies were indeed delicious," said Mamoru, and stuck his hand out,   
"My name is Mamoru Chiba."  
"A pleasure, Chiba-san," said Rolie, and took Mamoru's hand.   
As their hands clasped, something strange occurred. Both men   
felt something...a brief jolt that quickly coursed through their   
bodies. Both noticed it, but made no reaction to it, as they stared   
at each other.  
*Whoa, what was that?* thought Mamoru, and said, "Please, call me   
Mamoru."  
*A static shot, and we're not even on a carpet...interesting,*   
thought Rolie, and answered, "Of course, Mamoru-san."  
They weren't the only ones who noticed the jolt. All the girls   
had puzzled looks on their faces. *That's strange,* thought Rei, as   
she reached back and scratched her neck, *I felt something, but I   
can't...seem to pinpoint it...here?*  
"And these are my friends," Mamoru continued, motioning to Ami   
to speak.  
"I'm Ami Mizuno, but call me Ami, Rolie-san. Nice to meet you,"   
Ami replied.  
"Same here, Ami-san," said Rolie, and shook her hand, though this   
time, the jolt was less pronounced.  
"My name is Makoto Kino, but you can call me Makochan. Any   
friend of Motoki's a friend of mine!" said Makoto.  
"I'm honored, Makochan," replied Rolie, and as expected, felt   
the low jolt when he shook Makoto's hand.  
Mina was next, and she flushed. "Umm, Rolie-san and I have   
introduced ourselves already," she said in a low voice.  
"That we have, but I take it no one here knew how?" asked Rolie.   
Everyone shook their heads, and Rolie chuckled, "I'm afraid we brought   
back the Spanish Inquisition, Mina."  
She embarrasedly nodded.  
Rolie turned to the raven-haired girl next to him, who had her   
hand out already. "I'm Rei Hino, Rolie-san. I'm also a miko in   
training at my grandfather's shrine," she said.  
*Hmm, a miko, is it? Wonder if she can feel these jolts?*   
thought Rolie as he shook her hand, but she showed to outward reaction   
when they shook.  
"Interesting trade, Rei-san. I would like to visit, if I may?"   
said Rolie, and she nodded.  
*There it is again,* thought Rei, *but not as strong as the last   
time. Something about this guy...*  
Finally Rolie turned his gaze at Usagi. Unknowingly to him,   
Usagi had been staring at him the whole time he was acquainting with   
the senshi and Mamoru. As their eyes finally locked, Rolie felt the   
same feeling he had with Mina from that morning. A feeling   
of...recognition, of deja vu, of something was telling him that this   
girl was somehow familiar...  
*But what??* he thought, exasperated, *this is truly strange, and   
I wonder how this jolt will be* and he brought out his hand.  
Usagi was transfixed. She had been watching Rolie since she felt   
something jolt through her body when Mamoru and Rolie shook hands, and   
as he exchanged greetings with the other senshi, the feeling grew, and   
it was beginning to get to her.  
*What is this I'm feeling?* she thought, *something about   
Rolie...I should know about? But I don't even know him...don't I?*   
and she took out her hand to greet Rolie.  
"Us...Usagi...Tsukino," she stuttered.  
BEEEEP!! BEEEEP!! BEEEEP!!  
The high-pitched sound broke through the din of the Game Center's   
noise, and Rolie blinked. he took his hand back and reached into his   
pocket.  
"Umm, excuse me, Usagi-san, minna," he said, and pulled out a   
beeping cellphone, and stood a few steps away from the group.  
The group watched silently as Rolie talked quietly on the phone.   
They had all felt something unusual happen, but neither could speak,   
lost in their thoughts.  
Eventually Rolie began talking animatedly into the phone, and   
then turned back to the group, with an exasperated look on his face.  
"You want to hear an extremely pissed off caller?" he said, and   
held the phone out to the group, and everyone heard the caller's voice   
yelling on the receiver. The girls giggled, and Mamoru and Rolie   
chuckled.  
When the voice stopped, Rolie spoke into the phone again, "Your   
loud lecture was loud enough to be heard out here, Arch. Yeah, ALL of   
them heard you, so pipe down, will you? Huh? Ohh, fine, fine...old   
windbag. Are you done? All right, I'll be at the house when you get   
there. See ya," and Rolie closed the phone, and turned to the group   
again.  
"I'm sorry, minna, but I can't stay for that second round of   
smoothies with you all," he declared.  
"Aww, are you in trouble, Rolie?" asked Makoto.  
"No, Makochan," chuckled Rolie, "it's just an old friend of mine   
who's being a pain in the rear. He said he just arrived in Tokyo, and   
stuck in customs, and alone...hehehe, as if he was expecting me to   
pick him up in a limousine or something. So he wants me back at   
Hilltop Manor to finish his lecture on me," and he shook his head.  
Usagi picked up on the house name, and asked, "Oh! You live   
in Hilltop Manor now?"  
"Yes, I do," replied Rolie, "I liked Mina's name for it. It does   
suit the title."  
Everyone gave Mina amused inquiring looks, while she blushed   
again.  
"Oops, sorry Mina," chuckled Rolie, and added, "I'm afraid you're   
on your own on this one. Minna, please don't be harsh on her?"  
"Oh, we won't be harsh...too much," laughed Makoto mischievously.  
Looking at Mina's red face, Rolie added, "I owe you one, okay,   
Mina?"  
Mina looked up at hims and gave him a weak smile. "Hai," she   
muttered.  
Rolie grinned, and said, "Nice to meet you all! Good day!" and   
he turned to the door.  
"Bye, Rolie-san!" said the girls and Mamoru, and he was gone.  
All eyes now turned to Mina, who slunk lower in her seat,   
blushing furiously.  
"I feel like a deer to the slaughter," she whimpered.  
"That's 'lamb to the slaughter,'" corrected Ami.  
"Or 'a deer caught in headlights,'" added Rei.  
"But in either case, it's amount to the same thing," said an   
evil-chuckling Makoto.  
Mina shook her head in defeat, but noticed that Usagi didn't say   
anything. She had been staring at Rolie the whole time, and had a   
faraway look on her face.  
*Something's on her mind too, * she thought, *...about Rolie?   
Did she get that weird feeling too? I wonder if...*  
Her train of thought derailed as the questions began to fly:   
"So, Mina, what's the story, hmmm? What's he like? Did you see his   
eyes? How did you meet him? He seems to know you? Huh? Mina, you   
gotta tell us about this guy! C'mon! He does live near you, doesn't   
he? Omigosh, Mina!!"  
Usagi caught on the other senshi's questioning, and joined in   
the melee. Mina sweatdropped as she sipped her smoothie.  
*Oh well, it didn't last anyway. That man...oooh, Roile SO owes   
me for this* she thought as she weathered the onslaught.  
  
  
END CHAPTER 2  
4-30-02 


	4. Dragon of the MoonChapter 3

Disclaimer: Sailor Moon, and all characters related to Sailor Moon (you   
know which ones), belong to Naoko Takeuchi, not me. Just so we are clear on   
that.  
  
Original characters are of my design, thank you very much.  
  
Note: The *…*'s indicate a character's thoughts.  
  
I would also take this time to thank Kiku Ilu, Krysia, Silver Starlight   
Angel, and the others who have read the fic so far, and for Magdalena who   
has been very helpful in input (and fashion sense wink!) of character   
development. New readers…this is my first fic, so I hope you enjoy it.  
  
Questions? Comments? Email me at: Halreader@cs.com. Much appreciate  
it, and thanks!  
  
Enjoy Chapter 3, minna!  
  
HAL :-)  
  
  
  
Dragon of the Moon  
  
Chapter 3  
  
  
  
"Back in black,  
I hit the sack  
I've been too long,  
I'm glad to be back!"  
  
--------"Back in Black"  
Young/Young/Johnson, AC/DC  
  
  
  
  
Nightfall.  
One lone figure was walking up Minato-ku, carrying a small bag of   
groceries, a faraway look on his face.  
Rolie was lost in thought; his experience in the Crown Game Center still   
fresh in his mind half an hour later.  
*I just can't figure it out,* he thought, *I have traveled the world many   
times, met many people, and those who have left an impression on me I hardly   
forget a face, but after today…*  
He shook his head and sighed. Upon reaching his house, he heaved another   
sigh.  
"I don't know," he muttered, "maybe Arch can shed some light on this…and   
call me a nutcase again," and he looked at the empty driveway. "If he ever   
gets here," he grumbled, and walked through the door.  
The lights were out, and Rolie squinted in search for the light switch,   
when suddenly a cold chill raced down his spine. *I left the lights on when   
I left…they SHOULDN'T be off…* He stopped, and listened intently, letting   
his eyes adjust to the darkness.  
*No sense turning on the lights yet, or else I'm an easy target,* he   
thought as he scrunched against the wall. But then he blinked, realizing   
what he had just thought.  
*Wait a minute. An easy target, me? To who? Since when I've become a   
target? Nobody knows who I am or where I'm at, and I'm worried of a   
sniper?* He sighed and shook his head. *Jeez, I'm getting paranoid.   
Archie's call rubbed off me the wrong way, and I'm jumping at shadows. I   
must have really forgotten to turn on the lights…*  
And he reached for the wall switch, and clicked the lights on.  
CLICK.  
TWANG!!  
THUNK!!  
"OW!!" Rolie shrieked, snapped the lights off, and dropped to the floor   
with his groceries.  
He rolled next to the sofa, grinding his teeth, a searing pain screaming   
from his shoulder. He opened his eyes, and saw an arrow's shaft sticking   
out from his left shoulder.  
*Then again, I DID leave the lights on…argh, you stupid idiot* he cursed   
inwardly.  
He forced himself not to cry out in pain, knowing doing so would give away   
his position to his attacker. His mind raced as he concentrated on his   
options.  
*Okay, kiddo, gotta think clear and fast. It's not a Soultaker, or else my   
senses would have picked him up, so my enemy is human. There's only one   
shooter…I hope. He waited for me for the lights, and the arrow,* and he   
ruefully glared at his bleeding shoulder, *didn't go all the way through.   
Not enough power behind the shot, which means a long distance shot, which   
means…the stairs.*  
He closed his eyes, mentally picturing his position, the light switch, and   
the stairs. He slowly crept on the floor to the wall where the switch was,   
and reached into the fallen bag of groceries. As he quietly took hold of a   
plastic milk jar, he had his plan.  
*Okay, Rolie-boy. Simple plan. Head down, flip the switch. Let him   
shoot, spot him, chug him with the milk jug, and charge him. Simple,   
right?* he thought dizzily.  
He looked at his shoulder again, felt it getting numb, and he sucked in his   
breath. *Better make this count,* he prayed, and keeping his head down and   
looking at the darkened stairs, he flipped the switch again.  
CLICK  
SWISH!  
Everything happened so quickly, but this time, Rolie's instincts saved him.  
The instant he flipped the light switch, he was suddenly face-to-face with   
his assailant, and this time wielding a sword over his head. As the   
attacker swung his sword, Rolie rolled sideways a few feet, set and planted   
his feet, and threw the milk jug hard at his enemy. The jug hit the   
attacker on the side of the face, dazing him. Rolie took his chance and   
charged at him.  
Both men tangled on the floor briefly, and then they broke their holds and   
stood apart from each other. Rolie had managed to knock the sword away from   
the attacker, who was clad in black from head to toe, with a black   
form-fitting hood over his head. Two eyes peered at Rolie, as Rolie got a   
good look at his enemy.  
"Oh, great," Rolie grunted, "it's only a ninja."  
The ninja seemed to take offense at that, for he charged at Rolie with a   
flurry of kicks and punches. But Rolie managed to block and dodge them,   
except for a few that hit his injured shoulder. Rolie winced and grunted at   
every jab his enemy connected there.  
Rolie responded with his own counters and punches, trying to favor his   
shoulder. *I better drop him fast…this arrow is making me fight   
one-handed,* he thought, but something else was bothering him.  
*Strange, ninjas are mainly hit-and-run types, but this one WANTS me to   
fight him, like he's daring me to beat him. Why?*  
The ninja did a back flip, reached into his shirt, and suddenly threw a   
couple of throwing stars, which Rolie easily dodged, but smashed the vase   
and mirror behind him.  
Rolie now saw red. *All right, that's it! This guy's history!* and he   
lunged at the ninja with a flying kick. The ninja ducked, but Rolie dropped   
down, and swept his feet beneath the ninja. The ninja was caught by   
surprise, and Rolie unleashed a series of kicks and punches, managing to   
wear down his foe.  
Rolie spotted the lone sword, and in a final thrust, kicked the ninja   
against a wall. The ninja was knocked out and fell on his back.  
Rolie then scurried across the room, picked up the sword, and ran back to   
the fallen ninja. A few seconds later, the ninja opened his eyes and saw   
the sharp end of his own sword just inches from his nose. He looked up at   
Rolie, who muttered, "You surrender?"  
The ninja looked at Rolie square in the eyes, and with a defiant look, he   
grunted, "You're…too…slow…"  
Rolie's eyes widened, and with a yell, grabbed the hilt of the sword with   
both hands and thrust downward. The ninja's eyes widened as saucers.  
THUNK!!!  
The ninja's eyes closed as the sword came down toward him. But after a few   
seconds, he opened his eyes again, and saw Rolie looking at him with a   
disgusted look on his face. The ninja turned his head to the right, and saw   
the sword blade imbedded in the floor, a hairbreadth away from his head.   
The ninja gulped, and looked back at Rolie, who smirked, "Close enough for   
you?"  
Rolie then stepped away and sat down on the chair, finally beginning to   
work on his injured shoulder. The ninja sat up and said, "Hey! A little   
help for an old man?"  
Rolie threw him an angry look, and said, "Bah! Help yourself, old-timer,"   
and he groaned loudly as he pulled the arrow shaft tenderly out of his   
shoulder, and started to heal it with his glowing hands. "Was this really   
necessary?" he asked the ninja.  
The ninja groaned as he stood up. "I was actually aiming at your head," he   
said gruffly, and pulled off his hood. Rolie looked at his former opponent   
dubiously.  
The ninja had short salt-and-pepper hair, and the lines on his face showed   
that of an older man, but his dark eyes seemed to sparkle. He grunted as he   
sat down opposite Rolie.  
Rolie grunted, but then he looked at the supposed spot on the staircase,   
and a disturbing thought entered his mind.  
*Archie had plenty of time to set up his shot, and it's about 50 feet from   
the stairs to the door, and knowing Arch…* he thought.  
"You must be slipping, Arch. You couldn't have missed from that distance,   
even a blind man couldn't miss at that distance," Rolie said.  
"Gee, thanks a lot, kid," Archie said sarcastically with a sly grin, "but   
you know me. I assure you I'm not slipping. I DID have a bead on your   
noggin'."  
"Then why…?"  
"Well, far be it from me to rob the Soultakers' opportunity to kill you,"   
he smirked, "think of this as a wake-up call, hmm?"  
Rolie gazed at Archie solemnly, and finally nodded. *I'm still rusty, and   
I should have known better…I actually DID know, just didn't pay attention,*   
he thought, *and had it been a Soultaker sniper…* and he sighed.  
Archie grinned, stood up and went to the kitchen, and came back with two   
water bottles. After handing one to Rolie, he sat down again and said, "Ah,   
listen, kid. Sorry about the arrow, but I thought you ought to be back in   
fighting form already."  
Rolie winced as his glowing hand worked on his shoulder. "Already? You   
got to be kidding me. Arch, when was the last time I fought a Soultaker?   
It couldn't have been…" and he drifted off.  
"Three years, seven months, 10 days, London docks," Archie recited, "and   
you took on a small group of Soultakers on the roof of an abandoned   
warehouse, while Sailor V went into the warehouse, and…"  
"Stop!" Rolie interrupted loudly, "Just…stop it…"  
Archie raised an eyebrow, and shook his head. "It wasn't your fault, you   
know, you could not have known…"  
"That's enough, Archie!" Rolie said angrily, and stood up, holding his   
shoulder, and went to the patio window. The memories of that fateful night   
absorbed him.  
*Poor guy,* thought Archie, *he still blames himself after all this time.   
But for now, I have to keep quiet, for the real truth would hurt him even   
more.*  
"Right," Archie said aloud, "enough has been said. Let's get down to   
business, shall we?"  
Rolie didn't listen. He was staring at the moonlit sky outside, lost in   
thought. Memories of the chance meetings with Sailor V filled his mind,   
thoughts of a young super heroine whom he thought was too young and brash   
for her own good, and of the night their paths crossed for the last time,   
with a deafening explosion putting in a very hard exclamation point to his   
memories.  
*She was a good soldier, and brave to the end. But she didn't deserve that   
fate…I should have stopped her…I should…have…*  
He closed his eyes and clenched his fists.  
"Rolie?"  
A heavy sigh escaped Rolie.  
"Ahem…Roland?"  
Rolie's eyes flew open and turned to look at Archie, who had a small hint   
of a grin on his face. Rolie grinned back, saying, "'Roland,' is it?   
Calling by the proper name means something serious."  
Archie nodded. "I'm afraid so, kiddo. And I can venture to say that, this   
time around, it might be worse than Europe."  
Rolie's heart sank. *WORSE than Europe? How much worse can it get?* he   
thought, and said, "You think the Soultakers are going to bring their big   
boys out?"  
"Can't say for certain yet, but from what my sources tell me, it looks like   
they might be mobilizing for their big campaign," said Archie.  
"Uh huh, and I am to take this 'campaign' on by myself, right?" Rolie said   
wryly.  
"You are the best man for the job…but you can't do it alone, you know that.   
You're going to need help." said Archie.  
"Oh yeah, sure," Rolie retorted, "like last time, or did you forget, in   
London? Or before that in Crete? Or even before that in Sibe-…-ria…" and   
he trailed off, choking on the last word. That last one cut much deeper,   
and Rolie heaved another heavy sigh.  
"As you see, Arch, the record shows that any partner I get stands a very   
good chance to end up dead," Rolie grumbled.  
Archie sighed, stood up, and said, "Look, kid, we can argue like this till   
we're blue in the face," and he gently placed his hand on Rolie's shoulder,   
and continued, "but the bottom line is, if no one stands up to them, they   
are going to run around rampant like termites to a tree house, and a lot of   
people are going to get hurt. And we are not just talking about just a   
tree, or even just a city-like scale."  
Rolie looked back at Archie, and saw how serious his stare was. "The   
Dragon Knight is needed again, Roland. You HAVE to make that stand, my   
friend," Archie added.  
Rolie broke the gaze, and looked out to the cityscape before him, and the   
moon shining above.  
Archie grinned, and said, "Tell you what…why don't you freshen up, and   
we'll continue," and he sniffed and made a face, "besides, you stink."  
Rolie finally chuckled, and said, "Yes, mom!"  
Archie mocking glared at him. "Now don't you make me take you by the ear   
and wash them ears for you! Now move it, buddy!"  
Rolie got a laugh out of that, then quickly thought Archie just MIGHT carry   
out his threat, so he hurried upstairs and showered. Fifteen minutes later,   
Rolie returned sporting gym pants and a windbreaker, and he saw that Archie   
had brought out two small boxes from a suitcase and had placed them on the   
table.  
Rolie looked at Archie quizzically, "New gear?"  
Archie nodded. "Yep, some advancements since London…you gotta love   
technology these days. But first," and he looked at Rolie directly, "let's   
see you transform first."  
Rolie looked at him skeptically, and said, "I'm playing guinea pig again,   
aren't I?"  
"Hey, humor an old pal, will ya?" Archie admonished, "C'mon, you can do it   
in your sleep by now."  
"Yeah, right," said Rolie, and he pulled out his dragon pendant.  
Rolie paused, and looked down at his pendant. At two inches in length, it   
was an intricate piece of work. Made of solid gold, Rolie can almost feel   
it resonate with a mysterious power, which has so far escaped him.  
*Well, here we go again, like it or not. But with the Soultaker presence   
here, and Archie saying this is going to be a big deal…* and he looked   
thoughtfully at the moon shining outside, *maybe this time I can find some   
answers behind this pendant…and myself.*  
He clenched his hand around the pendant, closed his eyes, and concentrated,   
breathed in deeply, and softly whispered:  
"Dragon…Knight…Power…Activate."  
The pendant suddenly glowed in his hand, and an ethereal light blanketed   
Rolie from head to toe. He felt his clothes ripple as they changed around   
him. Rolie felt a surge of energy running through his entire body, for   
which he at first winced, then eventually grinned, welcoming it.  
*Like welcoming an old friend,* he thought for an instant. After a few   
seconds, it was over.  
Rolie opened his eyes, and Archie was nodding at him with a satisfied look   
on his face, and he pointed to the hall closet. Rolie went to it and opened   
the door, gazing at the strangely-clad man looking back at him through the   
tall mirror inside.  
Before the transformation, he was wearing gray gym pants and a windbreaker,   
but they are now gone. He now wore a black, long-sleeved turtleneck cotton   
sweater, black slacks that sported small pockets by his thighs, black   
leather belt and running shoes, and finally complemented by a long, flowing   
oilskin jacket, also black.  
Rolie ruefully grinned at his reflection. *Heh, I look like a cartoon   
character,* he thought, and looked up and down at himself, scrutinizing   
himself.  
"All right, all right, Mr. Model Wannabe, are you quite done?" cracked   
Archie.  
Breaking out of his reverie, Rolie reached into the closet's hidden nook,   
brought out his katana and scabbard, and slung them around his chest and   
under the jacket. He went back to the table, where Archie already had two   
boxes open before him.  
"What's all this, Arch?" asked Rolie as he sat down by Archie.  
Archie chuckled, "A couple of things I have been working on for the past   
few years. You know, you gotta admire how they make powerful things like   
cameras and computers fit in the palm of your hand. Why just the other day   
I read…"  
"Ahem…Archie?" Rolie interrupted.  
"Huh? Oh yeah, right," and he brought out the first item from a box and   
placed it in front of Rolie.  
Rolie's eyebrow raised, and held up the item dubiously. "A cell phone,   
Arch?" he asked quizzically.  
"Yes, a new one, but this baby does more than just voicemail."  
"Oh, so it slices, dices, and makes Julienne fries?" Rolie playfully   
scoffed.  
"Hah hah, smart aleck," Archie retorted, "just listen. Besides being a   
cell phone, it's also a scanner…to locate Soultakers. With this thing, you   
can track down the energy signatures of the Soultakers' power crystals."  
"Really?" Rolie said, intrigued, adding, "What's the range on it?"  
"A 10-mile radius, with its tracking signal becoming stronger as you get   
closer to them."  
*Hmm, almost like Sailor Mercury's palmtop computer,* Rolie thought   
immediately.  
"Will it spot disguised Soultakers?" Rolie added.  
"If their crystals are giving off their energy signatures, it should." said   
Archie.  
"Should?" asked Rolie with a raised eyebrow.  
"I didn't have any Soultakers volunteer for me to test it," said Archie   
matter-of-factly, "and even if I did, I couldn't detect them. Only you   
can," and he pointed at Rolie's pendant.  
Rolie's face hardened for a second, then he sighed, "10 miles is a very   
wide area to cover and spot a Soultaker."  
"By itself, yes. So I also have this for you," and Archie pulled what   
looked like a pair of round glasses from the second box, and handed them to   
Rolie.  
Rolie saw that the lenses were slightly opaque, and asked, "Shades?"  
Archie nodded. "Stylish, eh? But there's a tiny, voice-activated chip   
inside the left hinge that turns on the sensor film inside the lenses, so   
when you look through them, you can pinpoint your target in a crowd from a   
distance, or even scan for them inconspicuously while you have some   
conversation or whatnot."  
"Cool," Rolie said, impressed, and pressed the "ON" button on the cell.  
"I have a few more things to give you, kid, so…"Archie began.  
BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!  
Both men started at the sound…it came from the phone. The both looked at   
it, and at each other, and finally Archie grinned, and said, "Well, no   
better time than the present, huh?"  
Rolie put on the shades and looked at the phone, but looked at Rolie,   
puzzled. "Umm, how do I work this? It's like my old one, but how…?" he   
asked.  
Archie sighed, "Sorry, forgot to tell ya. Hold the phone close and say   
'Scan' and they will do the rest."  
Rolie nodded, and holding the phone closely, said, "Scan."  
The phone beeped, and Rolie did a double take. "Arch? There's some sort   
of…reddish spot…inside the glasses?"  
"Look at the phone. What does it say on the screen?"  
"Umm…two miles, northwest," Rolie said, as he looked out the window.   
"That's near…the business district. I just came from there."  
"Then I suggest you hoof it, buddy boy. But I would suggest you   
de-transform first, and suit up when you get there," said Archie.  
"De-transform? Now? I can get there quicker powered up, Arch," argued   
Rolie.  
Archie crossed his arms, and said, "I wonder what the neighbors around here   
would think when they see a man, all clad in black and a sword on his back,   
running out of this house at full speed. Hmmm?"  
Rolie winced. *I HATE it when he's right like that,* he fumed.  
"Power down…now," said Archie finally.  
Rolie nodded, and holding the pendant, said:  
"Dragon…Knight…Power…Deactivate."  
Rolie felt the surge through his body again, but the feeling he felt now,   
unlike the warmth when he powered up, now was a sobering cool. He looked at   
the closet mirror again, and saw he had his gym pants and windbreaker back.   
The cell phone and shades stayed visible as well, but his sword and scabbard   
are gone.  
Archie nodded, "Good, the sword is hidden with your costume. It will come   
back out once you power up. So get moving, kid!"  
Rolie went to the door, but paused, looking back at his friend with a   
worried look on his face. "I'm not looking forward to this, Arch," he   
sighed.  
Arch made a small smile, and said, "I know, pal. These are just the first   
rounds, and I will help you get ready. I'll mind the store till you get   
back, so go…now," and he winked at Rolie.  
Rolie finally nodded and grinned slightly, and was gone.  
Archie heaved out a sigh, sat back on the table and looked out to the   
twinkling lights of Tokyo outside. He smiled grimly, took out his own cell   
phone, and dialed a number.  
"Yeah, Sets? It's me. The game is on."  
  
  
A dark cloud hung over Mina's head as she rode the bus home.  
*Man, I thought I never get out of there! I mean, really, some people can   
be so nosy and irritating, but those four girls…ugh!* she thought.  
She heaved a heavy sigh, and stared out the bus window. Her mind began to   
wander, thinking back on the day's events. First her encounter with Rolie   
that morning, then barely arriving on time to school, getting excited at   
Usagi's speech, drinking smoothies made by Rolie at the arcade, and getting   
pelted by "Rolie-questions" for a solid hour.  
*Sheesh,* she thought, *it's like they've never heard of a girl bumping   
into a gorgeous guy and being saved from being wet by a nasty puddle by the   
same…gorgeous…guy…* and she sighed.  
"Who am I kidding?" she muttered to herself, "if it were Ami or Makochan,   
or even Rei, I would have jumped on them too…just over this guy,   
this…mysterious, handsome…guy."  
The bus stopped and took in new passengers, but Mina was preoccupied with   
her thoughts to notice, when a new voice reached her ears.  
"Ahhh, Minako Aino! Heaven shines down on this pathetic transport vehicle   
as you grace us with your lovely presence, my dear!" a deep voice said.  
Mina blinked, for a second unsure if she had heard right. Then she felt a   
chill run down her spine: she recognized the voice. She squinted.  
*Oh no…not him. ANYBODY but him, please…* she thought futilely.  
She turned to face the speaker with a forced smile, her suspicions   
confirmed.  
"Oh…hello, Mitoshi-san," she said through gritted teeth.  
Kensura Mitoshi flashed a pearly-white smile at her. He stood before Mina,   
almost towering over her with his 5-foot, 9-inch frame. His school uniform   
was pressed neatly, and his piercing gray eyes seemed to twinkle. His long   
black hair was slicked back and tied into a ponytail.  
Mitoshi quickly sat down next to her, wiggling his eyebrows, and said,   
"Aww, c'mon, Minachan. Call me Ken, or Ken-sempai. Everybody at school   
does."  
*Every one of your GIRLFRIENDS does, you mean,* she thought, but said,   
"Where's Kitsune?"  
His face shifted slightly. "Silly girl is stuck in detention again. I   
tell you, Hiko-san better get her act together, or else I would just have to   
let her go," he said wistfully.  
Mina's blood began to boil. *Why you, no-good…*  
"But…I will manage to survive this traumatic loss to myself, and open   
myself for new candidates. And I'm VERY sure you would like to be   
considered as one, Mina, hmm? I can open that position quite easily for   
you, my dear Minachan," he said haughtily.  
Mina's boiling became chilling upon hearing that prospect. She rolled her   
eyes and scrunched closer to the window, muttering, "When cows fly."  
"Hahaha!" Ken laughed aloud, "Silly Mina, it's 'when pigs fly,' now   
'cows.'"  
"Whatever," Mina shrugged.  
"Heh heh. I like your sense of humor, Minachan," he said, and inched   
closer to her, "I'm quite sure we can hit it off…"  
*Yuck…I've got to get out of here* she thought desperately, *think quick,   
Mina, quick!*  
She didn't have to think very long. She was staring out the window when   
something caught her eye.  
The bus was moving through the slow traffic of the evening rush, and was on   
a bridge overpass, when Mina spotted an unusual sight below her under the   
bridge. Two people, a man and a woman, were running from…  
*What in the…TWO demons? Here?? And they're after that couple!* she   
deduced.  
Mina gasped and bolted up to her feet. As she did, Ken, who had been   
leaning closer to Mina, was knocked backward onto the bus floor.  
"Ow!! Hey!" he shouted.  
Mina's mind raced. Shocked after inadvertently knocking Ken down, she   
reached for the bus's STOP cord, and pulled it.  
"Oh! Oh my, Mitoshi-san, I'm so sorry!" she cried, "but I just   
remembered…umm, my stop! I missed it! Driver! Stop here, please!"  
The driver slowed but he didn't stop the bus, saying, "Miss, we will be   
arriving at a bus stop very soon."  
"No, I can't wait!" she said, and grabbing her bag, made her way to the   
front of the bus. "Please, sir? I have to get out here!" she pleaded.  
"But, miss…"  
"PLEASE!"  
"Okay, okay," the driver muttered, and slowed the bus to a stop. "Next   
time, be aware of your stop, all right?" he fumed at her.  
"Oh, thank you sir! I'm very sorry again! Thank you!" Mina squealed, and   
just as the doors opened, she hopped out onto the sidewalk and ran back   
towards the bridge overpass.  
"Crazy kids," the driver muttered, shaking his head, and looked at his   
rearview mirror, and called out, "Hey, you there! Get off the floor and sit   
down!"  
Ken, who witnessed everything from his spot on the floor, quickly jumped up   
and took Mina's former seat, and gazed out the window to see Mina disappear   
from sight.  
"Heh, one day, Minachan," he chuckled, "one day, you will be mine!"  
  
  
Mina raced down the bridge embankment towards the narrow street below,   
where she had seen the chased couple and the demons in pursuit. Upon   
reaching the street, they were already gone. She looked up and down the   
embankment and the street, trying to figure out her next move. She was in   
the midst of dimly-lit back streets, near the warehouse section of town.  
*They were going away from the bridge from where I saw them from the bus,   
so they must be going north of here,* she thought, and pulled out her senshi   
communicator as she began to run. She pressed the 'All Call' button so that   
all the senshi could hear her.  
"Listen guys! I saw two demons chasing a couple up Misato Street at the   
warehouse district. I'm following what I think was their last direction,   
but I could use some backup!" she said.  
Seconds later, Ami's face appeared on Mina's communicator. "Mina!   
According to my computer, you are less than 200 yards due south of them,   
moving north and closing. You should reach them shortly, but the rest of us   
are farther away from your present position, so the rest of us won't reach   
you for I estimate 6.75 minutes."  
Mina sweatdropped. *Leave it to Ami to get it down to the millisecond,*   
she thought dryly, but suddenly she heard a shrill scream from a woman not   
far off, and her mind was made up.  
Mina said, "I don't have 6.75 minutes, Ami, and neither do these people.   
I'll engage them until you all get here. Mina out."  
"Mina! Wait…" Ami began, but Mina shut off her link.  
"Time to kick some monster tail," she said, and she pulled out her hen shin   
wand and held it aloft.  
"VENUS PLANET POWER…MAKE UP!"  
  
  
"No, Mina, WAIT!" Ami cried, but her link to Mina was cut off.  
"Ami? What's the matter?" spoke Rei, whose face now appeared on Ami's   
computer.  
"You guys! I was going to tell her that according to new readings, there   
might be more than two monsters out there! She's going to be outnumbered!"   
Ami declared.  
"Oh no!" gasped Rei, "Why is she going it all alone like that?"  
"What?" Usagi's voice exclaimed, "more than two? Where do they come…"  
"Pipe down, everybody!" Makoto's voice shouted over Usagi's, "Let's all get   
to Mina's location, pronto!"  
"Right!" they all said in unison. Ami closed her computer, and brought out   
her wand.  
"MERCURY PLANET POWER…MAKE UP!"  
After transforming, Sailor Mercury ran as fast as she could towards the   
battle scene.  
  
  
Rolie was making good time jogging through the streets, until something   
flashed in his mind, causing him to stop abruptly.  
"Whoa!" he cried out, "what was that?" He felt as if an electric bolt shot   
through his ears, and he shook his head.  
"Ughh…something is amiss, and I bet it's the Soultakers," he grunted. He   
looked around and spotted a nearby alley, and ducked into it.  
"Well, enough distance made between me and Hilltop Manor, so it's time to   
close the gap," he said, and brought out his dragon pendant, and clutched   
it.  
"DRAGON KNIGHT POWER…ACTIVATE!"  
Rolie's body and jogging suit shimmered briefly as he felt his   
transformation take place, and now the Dragon Knight stood ready. He looked   
up at the four-story walls above him, and with a great running leap, he   
jumped all the way up to the rooftop. His eyes flashed behind his shades as   
he scanned the area before him, grinning.  
*Hmm, that felt good,* he thought to himself, and removed his shades and   
folded them into his coat pocket. *I made good distance, and I can feel   
them in my powered-up self. I should be there in no time,* and he pulled   
his cowl mask over his face, and bounded over the rooftops on his way to   
meet the Soultakers.  
  
  
Eternal Sailor Moon gasped and stopped suddenly. Luna, who had been   
keeping pace with her charge, was surprised at Sailor Moon's sudden halt,   
and bounded back to her.  
"Sailor Moon! What is it? Why have you stopped?" asked the black cat.  
"I…I don't know, Luna," Sailor Moon stammered, "I…I just felt   
something…going through my head…"  
Artemis, who had joined Luna and Sailor Moon along the way, asked   
worriedly, "Are you all right? We can't delay, Mina's going to need help!"  
"Yes, I'm all right, Artemis," said Sailor Moon, "We...better go help   
Sailor Venus."  
Luna nodded, and said, "All right, but if you feel something again, let us   
know, okay?"  
"Yes, Luna," Moon sighed, and started running again with the two moon cats   
at her heels.  
  
  
"NOOOOOOO! Let me go!!!" screamed Mokoni Yaharishi. Her eyes wide in   
terror, she struggled to pry the monster's grip from her shoulders. She   
looked in equal horror at the second monster, who had a hold on her   
boyfriend, Kento Musashi. The human couple had been chased into one of the   
back streets away from Misato Street until the monsters finally caught up   
with them. Kento was unconscious: he tried to fight off the monsters but   
was thrown against the wall, knocking him out cold.  
"Yarrgh…take it eassssy, Anuk," growled the first monster at his companion.   
His brown scaly hands had a firm grip on a weeping Mokoni, his massive   
muscular frame towering over her small form. From his horned head, his red   
eyes glowed, and looked straight at Mokoni, licking his lips, and said, "A   
bruisssed body meansss a bruisssed ssssoul, and I hear they don't tassste   
asss well going downnnn."  
Anuk, who looked just like his fellow monster in looks and dirty-looking   
tunics, was holding Kento's bleeding head and snorted, "Bah, I don't care,   
Anak! Thessse two victimssss…look very fresssh to meee," smiling his set of   
sharp teeth. "A fresssh body, bruisssed or not, makesss for a sssatissfying   
meal," he finished, and Anuk's body glowed a sickly green, with Kento's body   
glowing as well.  
Anak shrugged, and turned his attention back to Mokoni, who after hearing   
Anuk, had fainted.  
"Aww, poor thing," Anak smirked, and began his drain as well, "What'sss the   
matterrr? Couldn't sssstomach Anuk'sss little speeeech? Pathetic little   
weaklingssss," and it was Mokoni's turn to glow.  
"Hold it right there, you creeps!" a voiced shouted.  
Anuk and Anak paused, looking around them for the source of the voice.  
"Right up here, boys!" the voice said again, and the monsters looked up at   
the top of a nearby wall, where a golden-haired senshi in an orange fuku   
stood.  
"So, now there's two of you big uglies to steal the energy of couples in   
love?" the girl cried, and leaped down to street level a few yards away from   
them and pointed at the monsters with an angry glare. "I will not let this   
deed go unpunished! For I am Sailor Venus, the Senshi of Love! In the name   
of Venus, I will defeat you!"  
The monsters stood blinking at the intruder's speech and posing act, and   
then they began to laugh. They dismissively let go of Kento and Mokoni, who   
dropped to the ground and were very still.  
"Well now, Anuk, we have sssome entertainment with our mealll," chuckled   
Anak.  
"Yesss," hissed Anuk, "thisss ssssailor brat will be enough for the both of   
ussss."  
Sailor Venus became miffed, and said, "'Sailor Brat'? Let's see if you   
like a taste of this! VENUS LOVE AND BEAUTY SHOCK!"  
A heart-shaped blast hit Anuk square in the chest and sent him flying into   
an opposite wall with a hard crash. Anak, amazed at the force of Venus's   
attack, nonetheless gritted his teeth and charged at the senshi.  
Venus saw him coming and leaped high into the air, where she cried,  
"VENUS LOVE ME CHAIN!"  
A golden chain of hearts wrapped around Anak's thick neck, and Venus, upon   
landing behind her pursuer, pulled the chain back towards herself, causing   
Anak to fall backward with a thud.  
Anak groggily stood up, but Venus was waiting for him. She pulled her   
chain again, whipping the lassoed monster past her and he crashed headlong   
into Anuk's form, collapsing the wall above them.  
*Whew, these guys are big,* thought Venus, *but it looks like I have this   
situation under control.*  
She retrieved her chain, and made her way to the fallen Mokoni and Kento.   
*Both of them look knocked out, but I better wait till Mercury and the rest   
get here,* she decided.  
She heard a muttering sound behind her and she stood up, and beheld the two   
monsters rising from the crumbling brick pile. She grinned confidently and   
stood in her fighting stance.  
"Not enough for you? I still have plenty more," she announced. Both   
monsters rubbed their heads and looked at Venus, but to Venus's surprise,   
they began to chuckle again.  
"Hey! What's so funny?" Venus angrily cried. Anuk answered her by   
pointing at something behind Venus, and as she turned, she was greeted with   
a swift kick to the gut.  
"OOOF!" she grunted loudly. She doubled over, staggering backwards, and as   
she began to look up , a hard punch sent her flying and she crashed into   
another wall.  
"Ohhh…" she groaned, and shook her head, trying painfully to get her   
bearings. She was dazed, and she knew, in trouble.  
"Sniper! Do you have a lock?" a third voice called out.  
"I got her in my sights," a fourth voice sounded. Hearing that voice,   
Venus instinctively staggered to her right.  
THUNK! THUNK!  
"Idiot!" the third voice yelled again, "you missed!"  
"She moved, boss!" the fourth voice replied.  
Venus looked back at the wall she had crashed into, and saw two arrow   
shafts, but what chilled her more was that the arrows had penetrated deeply   
into the wall.  
*Kami sama! I could have really been nailed to the wall!* she gulped, and   
winced as she tried to stand. *I'm in trouble…*  
"Anuk! Anak!" the third voice called out again, and the two monsters   
stood up from their spot. Their eyes flashed, their mouths opened, and   
suddenly with a combined roar, they both fired energy blasts at Sailor   
Venus. Venus's eyes widened and she ducked out of the way, but one blast   
hit close enough to send her flying again, and she collided with another   
wall.  
"Ughh," she groaned again, and she turned to look at her attackers. Anuk   
and Anak were standing and grinning a few yards away on her right, and to   
her left, she saw the source of the third voice: another monster, though   
this one was slimmer than Anuk and Anak, and had purple skin, and it bore   
large leathery wings.  
Venus heard another chuckling noise from above them, and made out the   
silhouette of another winged demon on the rooftop, and this one carried a   
long bow.  
*That…must be…'Sniper,'…* she figured, and felt a big chill run down her   
spine. "I'm…in REALLY big trouble," she coughed.  
"Girlie?" said the third monster, the apparent leader of the group, "you   
don't know even the half of it. But soon your body AND soul will be ours to   
feast on!" and he flashed a fanged grin.  
Venus looked around her; she was trapped and hurt, and her foes are closing   
in. Her mind desperately searched for options.  
*What am I going to do?* she thought, *I should have waited for the   
others...where could they be?* She staggered to her feet, but with a look   
of grim determination, she stood in her battle stance again…barely.  
*I'm…not going to give up…gotta protect those people…* she grimly thought,   
*I'll rush Mr. Motor Mouth here, wipe that smile of his face with a Venus   
Beam…"  
But suddenly, everything changed when small explosions were heard.  
POOF!! POOF!! POOF!!  
The back street quickly filled with smoke, clouding the area with amazing   
speed. Everyone, from Sailor Venus to the monsters, were caught by   
surprise.  
"What?? What is this?" bellowed the monster leader.  
"Massster…Nob…" coughed Anuk at his leader, "where…issss thissss   
sssssmoke…coming from?"  
Nob looked back to his companion on the roof. "Sniper! Where did…Sniper?"   
he began, but he saw that Sniper didn't respond. What he did hear were loud   
grunts and a metallic clash, and they were punctuated by a chilling howl of   
pain.  
"AAAHHHH!!!" shrieked Sniper, and before Nob's shocked eyes, Sniper fell   
headlong from his rooftop perch, landing in front of Nob with a dull thud.   
Nob moved back a step, and peered forward through the thickening smoke, and   
what he saw shocked him more: Sniper's chest had been slashed open, almost   
as if he was cut in half.  
"Sniper? SNIPER!!" Nob yelled.  
"He's gone, pal," anew voice uttered, and Nob looked up, and saw a dark   
silhouette shadowed by the moon above, and for the first time, Nob cringed   
in fear, as the stranger finished, "and you will join him soon enough."  
"ANUK! ANAK! THE ROOF!" Nob immediately ordered, but the other monsters   
were lost in the deep haze.  
"We can't…ssssee…masssster!" yelled Anak.  
Sailor Venus, still staggering on her feet, couldn't see what was going on   
either, but she heard Nob call out, "Blast the Senshi brat! Now!!"  
Suddenly a dark form landed in front of Venus, and Venus was yanked down to   
the ground. Anuk's and Anak's blasts flew just over their heads, hitting   
the bare wall harmlessly.  
Venus's mind was whirling, and muttered, "What…what's going on…" but she   
felt a firm gloved hand covering her mouth.  
"Quiet," the new voice whispered to her, and Venus felt herself being   
picked up and, to her amazement, felt she was FLYING over the smoke, until   
they landed away from the smoke-covered street by a large trash dumpster,   
and Venus finally saw her savior.  
He was clad all in black from head to toe: dark shoes and pants, black   
sweater, and a long, flowing overcoat that seemed to float like a cape.   
Venus also saw something unusual: a gold pendant seemed to hang from the   
stranger's neck, looking like a small dragon, and it even had a soft glow   
around it. His face was hidden, however, by a black cowl, but Venus gasped   
as she looked at the stranger's eyes that seemed to glow just like his   
pendant.  
"Who…are…" she began.  
"Hush!" the stranger hissed, and shoved Venus against the corner, out of   
sight of the monsters, but he drew her attention to him gently with his   
hand.  
"Listen to me," he whispered deeply, and counted his fingers at her, "stay   
down, stay still, and stay quiet." And as an afterthought, he jerked his   
thumb behind him, and said, "And stay away from him."  
He was referring to a now-decaying body of Sniper ten feet behind him.   
Venus clasped her mouth with her hand in horror, but nodded at the   
stranger's instructions.  
Satisfied, the dark-clad man returned to the smoke-filled street, while   
Venus watched from her hidden spot.  
Anuk and Anak were nervous. Their blasts didn't find their target, and   
they were scrambling around blindly. Nob was trying to get his bearings   
through the thick smoke in the air.  
"Damn this fog!" he spat, "Anuk! Anak! Any sign of the intruder?"  
"None, masssster," Anuk coughed loudly, "thisss ssssmokessssscreen issss   
too thick."  
Nob gritted his teeth and drew out his scimitar from his back scabbard, and   
said, "Take heed now. Whoever this man is, he's as good as dead! Kill him   
on sight!"  
"Sight won't help you," Nob heard a deep voice behind him say, and Nob   
whirled around and swung his sword, but found nothing.  
"You and your cohorts need to use your other senses," said the voice, and a   
dark shape materialized before Nob and kicked him backward.  
"AHH!!" grunted Nob, and he sprung to his feet, looking wildly about him,   
ready to strike.  
"Because if you only rely on what you see…" said the voice, now behind Nob.   
Nob turned, and saw a more solid dark shape before him, and he swung his   
sword downward at it.  
"AAHHHH!! MY ARRRRM!! MY AARRMM!!"  
Nob, to his utter surprise, recognized Anak's voice. Sure enough, Anak's   
severed limb came to rest before Nob's feet.  
"Anak!! Grr…I will get youuuu!!" screamed Anuk.  
"Anuk! No! Wait…uuugh!!" Nob cried as he was hit by Anuk's blast, and Nob   
was sent crashing into the wall.  
Anuk recognized his master's voice too late. "Massster Nob?" he called   
out, but from behind he felt a tap on his shoulder. Anuk turned, and faced   
the dark-clad man, whose eyes were glowing.  
"…you will end up hitting the wrong target," he finished, and leveled Anuk   
with a hard kick to the head. Anuk stumbled backwards, the stranger   
knocking him with a swift series of kicks and punches, until finally the   
stranger sent a hard kick to Anuk's gut, sending him further backward   
towards Nob's spot.  
Nob, woozy from Anuk's blast, shook and cleared his head, and saw another   
dark shape bearing down on him. He quickly brought his scimitar ahead of   
him, and it pierced flesh. But to Nob's complete surprise, it was Anuk's   
flesh.  
"UURRKK!!" Anuk gagged, and saw Nob's blade stick out from his chest.   
Nob, horrified he had run through Anuk, pushed his charge forward. The last   
thing Anuk saw was the dark stranger whirling a katana over his head and   
bringing it down with tremendous force, and a sickening cutting sound was   
heard, and Anuk saw no more.  
"ANUK!!" Nob cried as he staggered to his feet, his body racked in pain.   
He saw Anuk's head fly off, and the now-headless body followed it to the   
ground with a dull thud.  
Nob was stupefied. He saw the stranger's form again, he too saw two   
glowing points of light at the head, and he was scared. The stranger,   
however, stood still, looking right at Nob, and to Nob's surprise, was   
beckoning at him.  
"Get up, Soultaker. The smoke is clearing, so you should be able to fight   
me now," he said, and as he stood in a battle stance, he added, "unless your   
nerve has abandoned your cowardly hide."  
Nob's fear turned to anger upon hearing those words. The smoke did indeed   
clear, and finally Nob could see his opponent more fully. He saw his foe   
was wearing black clothes, his face was hidden by a dark mask, and he held   
his sword at the ready.  
"Why…you…no-good…call me a coward??? YOU'RE GOING TO PAY!!" Nob screamed   
as he charged at his foe. Both opponents clashed swords, and a fierce   
swordfight was underway.  
Meanwhile, Anak, on his knees and without an arm, saw two figures in his   
blurring vision. He was losing blood profusely, and his mind waded in and   
out of consciousness.  
*Gahhh…one of them…the dark man…* he thought, and noticed Nob was backing   
his opponent towards him. Anak focused his mind to hit the stranger upon   
getting close enough with a blast with whatever energy he had left. As they   
got closer, Anak was ready.  
"Arrgh…I got youuuuu!!" Anak cried hoarsely, and fired his blast at the   
dark-clad man's back.  
The stranger suddenly leaped skyward, and the blast hit Nob square in the   
chest, and sent him back to the wall again.  
"UGH!!" gasped Nob.  
"No!! How could youuu…" Anak blurted.  
But he never finished his outburst. The stranger corkscrewed in midair,   
and brought his blade down right through Anak's chest.  
"URRRK!" Anak gurgled.  
After a few seconds, the stranger took out his sword, and Anak's lifeless   
body slumped forward to the ground.  
Nob's mind swam, trying to remain conscious. *Blasted twice by my own   
men…I'm hurt, badly* he thought dimly, and saw the stranger had finished   
off Anak. Nob began to crawl backwards in a slow, painful retreat, until he   
stumbled on Sniper's decaying body, and spotted Sniper's bow and quiver of   
arrows lying next to the body. Nob grabbed a couple of arrows and the bow,   
and forced himself to stand.  
Sailor Venus saw all the action from her hiding place behind the dumpster   
with amazement. *It's…incredible! This guy took them out in no time   
flat…so fast and agile…* she wondered silently. When the smoke cleared she   
witnessed the swordfight and Anak's fate, and she gasped quietly as the   
stranger ran his sword through the fallen brute. She saw her own attacker,   
Nob, crawling backwards towards Sniper's bow and arrows.  
*Oh no! He's got the bow!* she thought desperately, and called out, "Watch   
out! He's got the bow and arrow!!"  
What followed happened in a few seconds. Nob suddenly turned to his right   
and spotted Sailor Venus by the dumpster. His new target acquired, he   
fitted an arrow, aimed, and let fly a deadly arrow at her.  
Venus clapped her hand over her mouth, realizing too late her mistake. She   
turned to see Nob aim an arrow at her and saw it fly.  
An instant later, she was knocked off her feet by the dark-clad man, and   
both tumbled forward on the ground.  
THUNK!!  
"OW!!" the stranger grunted loudly, and fixed a hard stare at Venus and   
shouted, "Can't you stay quiet just ONCE??"  
Venus was aghast. The arrow was sticking out from the stranger's right   
shoulder.  
"I…I, uh," she stammered.  
"Stay down!" he tersely hissed, and quick as a flash, he got up on his feet   
and started running towards Nob, drawing out his sword from his back   
scabbard.  
Nob saw the dark-clad man charging him, but he was shaking, and losing   
consciousness. His last shot had little power, but he fitted another arrow   
on the bow, pulled it back and fired.  
TWANG!!  
To Sailor Venus, it all happened in a blur before her eyes. As if watching   
a slow-motion movie, Venus saw the stranger charge at Nob as the arrow left   
the bow. With deft precision, the stranger, who had his sword out, knocked   
the traveling arrow from its trajectory with the hilt of his sword, and in   
one motion, twirled the katana with his hand and thrust forward with all his   
might. Nob, his eyes wide as saucers, could only gape as he was penetrated   
by the sword and ploughed hard against the wall by the strangers flying   
body.  
"GAAACK!!" blurted Nob.  
The stranger held up Nob against the wall, breathing hard and staring right   
at Nob. Nob groaned and looked down, and saw that the sword had run though   
his power crystal and chest. Gurgling, he looked at his enemy in wide-eyed   
shock, and saw that his eyes were glowing. He also noticed the small   
glowing dragon pendant hanging from his neck. Seeing them confirmed his   
worst fears, and he has paid for it.  
"Dragon…Knight…how is this…possible…supposed to be dead," he gasped.  
Dragon Knight tilted his head and pulled back, bringing his katana with   
him. Nob's world darkened and he fell to the ground, and a pool of black   
blood formed under his lifeless body.  
Sailor Venus's stomach turned, but she fought back the sensation, keeping   
her eyes her mysterious rescuer.  
Dragon Knight let out a heavy sigh, and redrew his sword back into the   
scabbard. He looked around him, noting the four Soultaker bodies around   
him, and finally looked at stunned Sailor Venus. He shook his head in   
disgust.  
"Well, that was really a stupid move by you," he muttered aloud.  
Venus blinked, not catching what he had said.  
"Wha…what?" she asked.  
"I said that was stupid what you did!" he shouted.  
His words finally sinking in, Venus shook her head, and said, "What are you   
talking about?"  
But he didn't answer. He made his way past Anuk's corpse to the   
unconscious human victims, Mokoni and Kento. As he kneeled to check on   
their condition, he reached up to his shoulder and snapped the arrow's shaft   
from his shoulder.  
"Urgh…barbed arrowhead," he grunted, tossing the shaft aside, and examined   
Mokoni and Kento.  
Venus finally dared to step forward from her spot, trying no to stare at   
the decaying corpses, and said, "Excuse me, but what do you mean by that?   
Who do you think you…"  
Dragon Knight suddenly stood up and faced Venus with a hard stare. "Didn't   
I tell you to stay down and keep quiet? Didn't I?" he exasperated.  
"Um, well…" Venus mumbled.  
"That last guy had no idea where you were, and he wouldn't have shot at   
you," he continued angrily, "but no! You had to speak out loud, and make   
yourself a target again! And what do I get for my troubles? I get an   
arrowhead stuck in my shoulder, no thanks to you!" and he turned his back at   
her.  
Venus cringed, and mentally kicked herself. *He's right. He DID tell me   
to shut up, but I was a fool. That arrow was meant for me, but he saved my   
life, and he got shot at…*  
"I'm…I'm sorry," Venus said shamefacedly, and lowered her head.  
The Dragon Knight looked back at her again, and sighed to himself. *Easy   
there, guy, now cool it,* he thought, *she was only warning you, no need to   
bash on her for that.*  
"Ah, forget it, Sailor Venus," he finally said.  
Venus blinked again, and looked at him. "How…how did you know who I am? I   
never saw you…" she said.  
But Dragon Knight moved away to check on the Soultaker bodies, searching   
gingerly through them. *Those power crystals ought to be destroyed by now,   
but I better check them to be sure* he thought.  
Venus was taken aback by his dismissive attitude. *What is he doing?* she   
thought, *What could he be looking…wait a minute!*  
"Are you looking for those crystal…things?" she asked him.  
Dragon Knight nodded without looking up, adding, "Making sure they're all   
gone…ah! Here's one." He pulled a damaged crystal from what was Anak's   
body.  
"But wait, mister," Venus interjected, "me and my friends would like to   
examine one…"  
"No you don't," he said curtly, and threw the crystal down to the ground   
and mashed it with his foot, crushing the crystal.  
Now Venus was getting angry. "Hey now!" she said, "I wanted that crystal!   
Who put you in charge?"  
Dragon Knight looked at Venus pointedly again. "Listen, take my word for   
it. These crystals need to be smashed or destroyed, so sparing them is not   
an option," he said.  
"Why? Why do they have to be destroyed?" Venus asked with more courage.  
"It's because…well…ah, it will take me too long to explain, and it's   
complicated too."  
"Well, tell Sailor Mercury when she gets here," Venus countered, "I'm sure   
she can tell us…"  
"Listen, Sailor Venus," Dragon Knight interrupted, "just...trust me when I   
say this. These creatures are nothing you and your friends had faced   
before, or would want to. They are too dangerous to mess with."  
"But," she began.  
"Hang on, please. These creatures, as you have seen, drain the energy from   
their victims, leaving them like empty husks. And as you can attest to   
yourself, they do not act alone. They are fast and powerful. They   
overwhelm you, and you are a goner for sure.  
Venus frowned indignantly, and challenged, "Oh, and I'm to understand YOU   
can handle them all on your own? Hmm?"  
Dragon Knight stared at Venus and took a step towards her, his eyes and   
pendant aglow again. Venus took one step back, but refused to back down or   
break her gaze on his eyes. For a moment, the air was tense.  
"Perhaps I can," he answered, "but…then again, I'm not sure myself," and he   
turned away and his eyes and pendant lost their glow.  
*Who is he…WHAT is he?* Venus thought to herself. She had surprised   
herself standing up to him, but wondered why she felt this strongly for this   
mysterious swordsman. *Or…IS he a stranger? That dragon pendant…something   
about it.*  
She was about to ask for his name, but he interrupted again, "Your mind is   
full of questions, Sailor Venus. As are mine. But for now, these people   
need help, and I have a shoulder to tend to," as he motioned to Mokoni's and   
Kento's forms.  
"Oh…yes, you're right. I'm...sorry about earlier, me and my big mouth.   
Maybe we can help you with your wound," she said.  
"No, it's all right, I can take care of it myself," he said, and heard   
approaching footsteps closing towards them. "Your friends can take it from   
here, but do me a favor, if you please?"  
"What? What is it?" she asked.  
"Don't fight them alone again. You and your fellow senshi's powers are   
good enough to take these big bruisers," and he motioned to Anuk's and   
Anak's remains, "but as for these winged ones, leave them to me."  
"But why?"  
"Remember what I have said, Sailor Venus. I'll be watching," and he bowed,   
reached into his coat pocket, took out a tiny ball and threw it to ground   
hard between them.  
POOF!!  
Sailor Venus winced at the flash, and coughed as smoke filled the back   
street again. *That...cough cough...smoke…it was him…* she choked.  
"Sailor Venus! Sailor Venus! Where are you?" called out a multitude of   
voices.  
"Over here…guys," she called back, and made her way to the voices of her   
friends. Sailor Jupiter reached to her first.  
"Venus! Thank Kami you're all right!" Jupiter exclaimed.  
"Are you okay? Are you injured?" asked Sailor Mercury.  
"Yeah…I'm…all right," Venus said breathlessly.  
Sailor Mars looked at her skeptically, and said, "You sure? You look like   
you've been in a fight."  
Jupiter furrowed her eyebrows. "Why those no-good monsters! I'll tear   
them apart!" she cried, and charged into the back street.  
"Jupiter, wait! Oh, that girl!" muttered Mars, and went in after her.  
Sailor Moon approached Venus and took her hand, while Mercury brought out   
her computer to scan Venus. Tuxedo Kamen and the moon cats stood watching   
the entrance of the back street and looking over at Venus.  
"V-babe? Are you all right?" asked Moon.  
"I…it's a long story," Venus murmured.  
"Well, I did a quick scan on you, Sailor Venus, and also judging from the   
scuff marks on your fuku and face, you took on those monsters by yourself,   
didn't you?" remarked Mercury.  
Venus could only nod.  
"Oh, Venus!" cried Moon, "why didn't you wait for us? You could have been   
seriously hurt…"  
"…Or killed," finished Artemis, who was clearly disappointed with Venus.   
"You were even more reckless than Jupiter, Sailor Venus, very foolhardy," he   
admonished her.  
Moon looked at Artemis with pleading eyes, and said, "Oh Artemis, don't be   
mad at her. She was obviously trying to save that couple, weren't you?"  
"They're safe," Venus nodded again.  
"You mean to tell us you beat those monsters by yourself?" asked Luna   
incredulously.  
"Wow! How awesome! Way to go, Venus!" cheered Moon.  
"Well," Venus began.  
"Hey guys!" called out Jupiter, "you better get in here and look at this!"  
Sailors Moon and Mercury, the moon cats and Tuxedo Kamen looked at each   
other questioningly and then at Venus, who remained silent, her eyes closed.  
"Let's all go see," Tuxedo Kamen said finally.  
The smoke from Dragon Knight's smoke bomb had cleared. Jupiter was trying   
not to stare at a decomposing pile of a Soultaker, looking very green and   
shaking. Mars was checking on the human victims who remained unconscious.  
But there was no sign of the Dragon Knight.  
"Mercury? Over here," asked Mars.  
Mercury nodded and joined Mars, while Jupiter, Moon, Tuxedo Kamen, and the   
cats looked around them in wonder and apprehension. Venus leaned against   
the wall, silent.  
Luna and Artemis were shocked at the carnage around them. Moon clung to   
Tuxedo Kamen's arm, trembling slightly. Tuxedo Kamen patted her hand, but   
he to was surprised at the sights around him.  
*This is…incredible…and sickening,* he thought.  
Jupiter, finally in control of herself, turned to Venus and said, "Wow,   
V-babe, remind me to be on your good side, okay?"  
But Venus shook her head.  
"You mean…you didn't do this?" asked Jupiter.  
"She couldn't have, Jupiter," said Mars, who had rejoined the group, "that   
one over there looked like he was beheaded, and that one is missing a limb."  
"Mars…please," moaned Sailor Moon, and Tuxedo Kamen gave her a reproachful   
look.  
"Oh, sorry," she apologized, and continued, "but in a nutshell, these   
monsters were dispatched by a swordsman. And as far as we know, Venus   
doesn't carry a sword."  
Venus nodded, "I didn't kill them. He saved me from them, and finished   
them off."  
"'He?' Who is 'he,' Venus?" asked Luna.  
"I…I don't know…" she muttered.  
Artemis raised an eyebrow, and asked, "What do you mean, you don't know?"  
"I said I DON'T KNOW!" she yelled, "I was knocked around good, but before   
they could finished me off, he came in, from the roof, throwing his smoke   
bombs and waving his sword, he was slashing them up, killing them easily   
like a hot spoon through butter, and…and…"  
"Um, that's 'a hot knife through butter,' Venus," corrected Artemis.  
"WHATEVER!!" Venus bellowed, "I almost got him killed because I was so   
stupid in warning him, I could have been shot by the arrow, but he saved me   
again, he took the arrow meant for me, and he kills the other guy, he…he…"   
and Venus sank to her knees, weeping.  
Sailor Moon rushed to her and hugged her tightly, and Venus wept on Moon's   
shoulder. Moon stroked her friend's hair, trying to calm her down.  
"There, there, shhh," Moon cooed softly, "you had a rough day today, Venus.   
We're here for you…it's all right."  
Luna batted Artemis's ear. "Nice work, baka cat," she said sarcastically.  
"Sorry," he said sheepishly.  
"So who did all this?" asked Tuxedo Kamen.  
"My guess," replied Mars, "our friend from Fujiyoshida Park a couple of   
days ago," and she kneeled by Venus and held her shoulder gently, getting   
her attention, and said, "…the same one who dispatched that other demon we   
didn't get. Wouldn't you think so, Venus?"  
Venus looked at Mars, then at Moon, and nodded, "He…smashed the crystals."  
"Crystals?" said Artemis and Mercury, who had rejoined the others after   
examining the human couple.  
"One of them had a crystal around its neck…that one," she pointed at Anak's   
remains, "and he took the crystal and crushed it on the ground."  
Questioning looks flew between the senshi, Tuxedo Kamen, and the moon cats.  
"Why would he destroy them?" asked Jupiter?  
"Does he know something he doesn't want us to know?" queried Mercury.  
"Sounds suspicious, if you ask me, like he's trying to cover up something,"   
said mars.  
"Guys? Guys?" interrupted Venus, "maybe we ought to get that couple to the   
hospital, don't you think?"  
"Sailor Venus is right," concurred Tuxedo Kamen, and turned to Mercury and   
asked her, "How are they?"  
"Like the other couple we saved a few days before: drained of energy,"   
Mercury assessed, "the young man has a cut on his head, but could have   
suffered a concussion. We should do what Venus has said."  
They all nodded, and Tuxedo Kamen and Sailor Jupiter went and picked up   
Kento and Mokoni and carried them off to the hospital. The others remained   
behind, pondering what to do next.  
Finally Luna spoke, "Well, it seems there's nothing we can do here for now,   
and nothing to recover for analysis, so we might as well head home and   
regroup tomorrow at the shrine for another meeting."  
"I second that motion," said Mars.  
Moon looked at Venus, who was staring at the entrance of the back street,   
lost in thought, and asked, "Venus? Do you want us to help you home?"  
Venus thought it over, and remembered Dragon Knight's words: *Don't fight   
them alone again.*  
"I would like that, Sailor Moon," she said.  
"Great! Let's go then!" she squealed happily, and managed a grin out of   
Venus.  
Artemis, however, was also staring at the quiet back street, and just   
before they left, he called out, "Sailor Venus? One last thing…did he   
mention his name to you?"  
Everyone blinked, and Luna and the senshi looked at Venus.  
Venus tried to think. *Did he ever tell me his name? I asked him a couple   
of times, I think, but he never answered back to me…ooohh…*  
"No…I don't think he…wait a minute! One of them, the leader, I think it   
was, just before he…ummm, he died…he said…err…Oh, something about him,"   
Venus stammered.  
"Anything about his looks? Face? Clothing?" pressed Artemis.  
"Artemis, is this really necessary?" reproached Luna.  
"Yeah, Artemis, can't it wait?" said Jupiter.  
"No, I think we have to know now with her memory still fresh. I'm sorry,   
but I think it will help us," said Artemis firmly.  
Venus racked her brain. All the events of the past day flashed before her:   
the puddle incident with Rolie, the Crown Game Center, her bus ride with   
Kensura, the monsters, the Dragon Knight…  
"His clothes were all dark: black shoes, pants, sweater, overcoat, even   
his mask. Because of that thing, I couldn't see his face except his…his   
eyes…they glowed…so did a…dragon pendant he wore…" Venus said.  
Artemis's hackles lifted, and asked, "What else?"  
"The leader said…'Dra-'…'Dragon Knight'…"  
"'Dragon Knight'?" exclaimed Artemis.  
"Yes…that's it…that dragon pendant…that's his name, the Dragon Knight…but   
what kind of name is that?" Venus questioned.  
The other senshi shrugged, but Luna was observing Artemis, who had a hard   
frown on his face. She felt Artemis tense up upon hearing the name, but   
Artemis maintained his composure.  
"Does the name mean something, Artemis?" asked Luna.  
Artemis looked again at the back street, and paused. He finally shook his   
head, and said, "No…no Luna. I thought that name clicked, but then again…"  
Luna remained skeptical, but said nothing.  
"Artemis? Can we go now?" asked Mercury.  
Artemis nodded, and hopped ahead of the group. "All right, like Luna said,   
let's call it a night, regroup at the shrine and compare notes, okay?" he   
said.  
The senshi nodded, and they left the back street. But Sailor Venus made   
one last look before being pulled away by Sailor Moon.  
*Who are you?* she thought wistfully, *where do you go? Or come from? He   
said he will be watching…watching over us…or over me?* She sighed as she   
turned away.  
  
  
Later that night, back at Hilltop Manor, Rolie Drake finished taking his   
shower, and slipped on his bathrobe. AS he watched the moonlit cityscape   
from his window, he pondered on the day's past events. He then sat down   
at his desk in his barely-furnished bedroom, took out his journal, and   
began to write.  
"Well, this has been quite a day, Diary. Frankly, I don't know where to   
begin…except from the top."  
"First off, the house…mansion, bungalow, whatever. This is all impressive,   
but I think Arch was out of his gourd when he got this place. I mean, an   
apartment would do, but sheesh!"  
"Anyways, it even has a name: 'Hilltop Manor.' A cute name, given by an   
equally cute person: Minako Aino. A very sweet and lovely girl I met…check   
that, COLLIDED with, this morning. Saving her from a watery fate, at the   
expense of the dashing hero, who took the dunking," and he chuckled in spite   
of himself at the memory.  
"Well, that's only the beginning, Diary. After my exercises, I strode out   
to check out the neighborhood, to get a feel of my way around, and I could   
have sworn I was being followed. But not by another person, nor even a   
Soultaker, but rather an animal…a cat, I think. I saw a fuzzy blur out from   
the corner of my eye as I approached the business district, but when I   
turned to look, he was gone. Heh, well, cats are a curious lot, hope it's   
curiosity doesn't get him killed."  
"Anyways, I went to the business district, made a few rounds, and I found   
myself at the Crown Game Center, where I met Motoki Furuhata, the son of an   
old friend, Yoshiro Furuhata."  
He paused, musing at the memory, and continued, "Yoshiro was a savvy   
businessman, and quite a musician to boot. One could say he was ahead of   
his time, for his guitar work was first-rate. He even taught me a few   
things, and I could swear if he continued that route, he would have made a   
bigger name of himself, but he chose not to. He would rather work behind   
the scenes, nurture talent, give advice. All in all, he was a great man."  
"It's a shame he passed away. According to his son, his chain of music   
store were taken over by corporate buyers. Heh, a sign of the times, I   
guess. When you lose your heart and soul, everything falls to pieces. The   
only things salvageable were the Crown Game Center and the original music   
store, where Motoki tells me Yoshiro's brother Hiro, who didn't have the   
flair of his older brother, still controls to keep the family business   
alive. Motoki runs the Game Center, and he seems to have a good handle of   
it, like his father. Well, guess it runs in the family."  
"Anyway, Diary, I met Motoki and showed him how to make my specialty   
strawberry smoothies, since he was stuck in the midst of a chocolate   
shortage. And who do I meet at the Center? Minachan again! And her   
friends were there…let's see: Makoto, Ami, Rei, Usagi, and Mamoru. But   
I'll tell you, Diary, that when I first met Minako on the street earlier   
today, I had a strange…feeling…that I've met her before. And not just her,   
but the rest of her friends too, but more so with Minako…and Usagi. I can't   
put my finger on it: what is it about them, this feeling of déjà vu, but I   
know I haven't met them before…or have I? Ugh, this is frustrating!"  
Rolie sighed deeply, and continued, "Well, to top that off, Diary, my first   
patrol as the Dragon Knight began tonight, and it has left me with mixed   
feelings. First, after Archie ambushed me---can you believe this old coot?   
Shot me with an arrow! The utter nerve!---he gave me new gear to help me   
track down Soultakers. That's the good part. The bad part was, well,   
two-faced: being a Dragon Knight again reminded me of the seriousness of   
the job, and the other were the antics of Sailor Venus."  
Shaking his head, Rolie continued, "In my previous entry, I had written   
down that Sailor Venus was very conscious of her surroundings, that she   
acted as if she was a seasoned fighter. Well, I guess it WAS an act; I   
can't believe her performance tonight! Taking on FOUR Soultakers on her   
own? ON HER OWN?? And what's even crazier, after saving her from the   
Soultaker squad leader and telling her to keep down, she makes herself a   
target again by calling out to me, right in the Soultaker's sights! When I   
saw her do that, I froze for just a second, and then tackled her out of the   
way. Any longer, and she would have been dead."  
Rolie paused and rubbed his right shoulder, continuing, "Saving her again,   
at the expense of my shoulder--been doing a lot of 'saving' today. First   
Minako and the puddle, then Motoki and the smoothies, now this with Sailor   
Venus…twice! And I get shot at with arrows, and they hit the same shoulder!   
Man, Archie laughed so hard after I told him where I was hit, he proposed   
I carry a sign that says: HIT THE SHOULDER! GUARANTEED! Ha, ha, that wise   
guy," and he chuckled in spite of himself.  
He wrote, "Anyways, I took care of that Soultaker squad. Made sure all   
their power crystals were destroyed, though one survived a little longer   
than the others. Sailor Venus tried to stop me from crushing it, claiming   
she needed it for study. But after her stunt today, I'm very wary to give   
them one, or even explain to them what they are."  
He sighed, and wrote again, "Well, that's not being fair. The senshi have   
no idea who they are up against, that these are just the first of many   
encounters with Soultaker troops. But can they handle the less dangerous   
big brutes? My guess is yes; it's the sneakier, more dangerous winged ones   
that pose a bigger problem, so I will handle them myself. Maybe after a   
while, I'll cue them in on what the mission is. The have plenty of   
potential and some hidden power within them, but I hope they are better from   
what I have seen from Sailor Venus. I came down on her hard over her   
goof-ups, but she had to know that she can't make mistakes like that."  
"I hope she learned her lesson. I'll be watching them, searching for other   
Soultakers…this game has just begun," he concluded, and set the journal back   
in his desk.  
Rolie went outside his bedroom and peeked onto the living room on the first   
floor below. Archie was sound asleep on the sofa, among boxes and suitcases   
he had brought along with him. Rolie grinned. He was comforted Archie was   
here.  
*Arch can be a pain in the butt, but he's a good man to count on down the   
stretch. I will be needing help on this mission, and not just from the   
senshi, but from him as well,* Rolie thought, and he went back into his   
room, lied down on his bed, and was soon asleep.  
  
  
  
END CHAPTER 3  
9/28/02  
  
  
Again, comments and questions, email me at Halreader@cs.com! Thank you for reading! 


	5. Dragon of the MoonChapter 4a

Disclaimer: "Sailor Moon" and all characters related to  
"Sailor Moon" (you know which ones) belong to Naoko Takeuchi,  
not me. All other characters are of my design, just so you  
know. Text braced with "*…*" indicate character's thoughts.  
  
  
Note: A couple of Japanese terms--"hajime" means "begin" and  
"yame" means "stop." These are kendo fighting terms.  
  
  
Thank you all who have read the fic so far, and thanks again to  
Magdalena for her input in making this fic possible. Any  
comments or questions, email me at Halreader@cs.com. So onward  
to Chapter 4!  
  
  
HAL :-D  
  
  
  
Dragon of the Moon  
Chapter 4  
  
  
"This is like déjà vu all over again!"  
---Yogi Berra  
  
  
DING  
The elevator doors open, and the tall man stepped out of the  
elevator onto the stark hallway. He turned and saw the single  
large wooden door at the end of the hall, and he walked towards  
it. A guard sitting behind a podium by the door looked up at  
the approaching man, frowned, and stood up, sizing up the  
stranger.  
  
The guard looked up and down at the tall man, trying to make  
him out. He stood at 6 ½ feet, lean-looking, and had broad  
shoulders. The stranger wore a dark business suit, but he also  
wore black gloves, and sported black shades that hid his eyes.  
His face looked careworn, and his graying hair was slickened  
towards the back of his head. He also carried at long metal  
briefcase, nearly four feet long; though it looked heavy, the  
man seem to carry it with relative ease.  
  
The man stopped at the guard's podium. The shorter guard sized  
him up again, trying not to flinch, and said in a firm voice,  
"This floor is restricted."  
  
The man didn't speak.  
  
The guard said curtly, "Didn't you hear what I said? This  
floor is off-limits, so go back."  
  
"I am here on official…business," the tall man finally said.  
His voice was thick and heavily accented, but hardly showed any  
emotion.  
  
The guard's eyes narrowed, and looked at the stranger's  
briefcase.  
  
"Reports from headquarters," the tall man said, as if answering  
the guard's next question.  
  
The guard was unconvinced. He motioned the stranger to put  
down the briefcase by the podium, and he pressed a button inside  
the podium. A small panel opened between them, and a hand plate  
appeared.  
  
"Procedure," the guard said, "so take off your glove and  
identify."  
  
The tall man tilted his head at the guard, as if questioning  
him, but the guard remained stoic. The tall man relented, put  
down the briefcase by the podium, took off one glove from his  
hand and placed his hand on the plate, and spoke softly:  
  
"Pavel…Anton…Petrovich."  
  
A series of beeps rang out, as the stranger's hand and  
briefcase was scanned. The readings from the stranger's hand  
cleared him, but the briefcase showed up blank.  
  
"Open the briefcase, sir," said the guard.  
  
The tall man looked at the guard, and said, "My clearance  
checks out. I don't need to open it."  
  
"Listen, pal," the guard started to say.  
  
"Mizuki?" a voice called out from a speaker in the podium.  
  
Mizuki the guard pressed the button, and said, "Yes, sir?"  
  
"My guest does have clearance, so let him through at once," the  
voice said.  
  
"Yes, sir," Mizuki sighed, and pressed another button, and the  
giant wooden door hissed open for Petrovich. Petrovich nodded,  
and put his glove back on, reached down to pick up his suitcase,  
and started to walk in.  
  
Mizuki, put off by Petrovich, mumbled something under his  
breath. Quick as a flash, Petrovich grabbed Mizuki by the  
throat and shoved him hard against the wall. Mizuki, taken  
completely by surprise, gawked aloud after being pounded to the  
wall, and gagged when Petrovich raised him a foot up the wall by  
the throat. Mizuki clutched at his neck, trying desperately to  
breathe and trying to break the hold, but Petrovich only  
squeezed more.  
  
Petrovich's face remained in it's stone-like state, but tilted  
his head to the guard, and said thickly, "Would you care to  
repeat that…a little louder?"  
  
Mizuki, his face turning blue, nodded quickly, and Petrovich  
loosened his hold and bought him down to the floor, but did not  
yet let go of Mizuki's throat.  
  
The guard gasped, and looked wildly at Petrovich.  
  
"Well?" Petrovich asked, and began to squeeze again.  
  
"I said…" Mizuki said quickly, "I said…stupid…gaigin…  
  
A small grin finally formed on Petrovich, and he said, "Next  
time you have the urge to say epithets, you either hold your  
tongue until you're out of earshot, or keep your comments to  
yourself. People won't take it…kindly…like I did. Understood?"  
  
Petrovich let go of Mizuki, who dropped to the ground coughing.  
Petrovich picked up his briefcase again and entered through the  
doorway, and the door hissed to a close.  
  
  
Petrovich walked through the dimly-lit hallway, the  
click-clack of his shoes echoing off the out-of-sight walls.  
At the end of the hallway was a long mahogany table, sparsely  
furnished, with one lamp providing the only light in the  
immediate area.  
  
But no one sat at the table, instead there was one tall figure  
standing away from it, his attention turned to the tall glass  
windows, gazing at the twinkling city lights outside.  
  
Petrovich made his way to the table, and upon reaching it,  
stopped, and waited patiently for acknowledgement. The figure  
at the window, who also sported a dark business suit, didn't  
turn around, but spoke, "A little rough on my guard, weren't  
you?"  
  
Petrovich was unfazed. "His attitude needed…adjustment," he  
said.  
  
"Why Anton, I didn't know you were so sensitive," said the  
figure.  
  
Petrovich's brow twitched, and he let out a quiet grunt.  
  
The figure turned, and Petrovich could barely make out his  
features in the poor light, but he noted the man's short  
salt-and-pepper hair and medium build. The face looked somewhat  
careworn, but the eyes, Petrovich saw, seemed to gleam.  
  
Petrovich bowed his head, and said, "Pavel Anton Petrovich, at  
your service, Master Asuka."  
  
Asuka raised his hand, and said, "Please! We can dispense with  
the formalities, Anton, my old friend. You must be tired. Have  
a seat." And Asuka pressed a button on his desk, a trapdoor  
opened on the other side of Petrovich, and a soft stool arose  
from it.  
  
Petrovich's brow twitched again, looked at the stool  
skeptically, and back at Asuka. "I like to stand," he finally  
said.  
  
"Your paranoid senses are still fresh in you, I see," bemused  
Asuka, who sat down on his own chair on his side of the table.  
  
Petrovich managed the slightest of grins. "It keeps me…alert,"  
he responded.  
  
"One of the assassins' endearing qualities, of course,"  
countered Asuka, who leaned back on his chair.  
  
Petrovich cleared his throat. "I was sent from Home Base to  
this station, though I am curious to reasons why, and they said  
I will find out here."  
  
"Simple," said Asuka, "I sent for you. I may have use of your  
talents here."  
  
"That doesn't explain why…"  
  
"I will explain everything once my other guest arrives."  
  
That caught Petrovich's attention. "Your…other guest?" he  
asked.  
  
"She should be arriving any moment now," said Asuka.  
  
"'She?'"  
  
Suddenly, the air in the room chilled, and sparks of lightning  
flashed 10 feet away from the two men. The sparks coalesced  
into a large oval, forming what looked like a portal, and a  
large figure stepped through it.  
  
Petrovich, for once surprised at the unexpected entrance,  
flinched back a few steps, keeping his gaze firmly at the figure  
who had stepped into Asuka's office right out of thin air.  
Asuka, meanwhile, just grinned at the light show.  
  
The portal then closed, leaving a tall creature behind. The  
creature sported large leathery wings, had red skin, clawed  
limbs, and wore a flowing golden robe. But Petrovich saw this  
creature had a female-like appearance, with long flowing black  
hair and a shapely, muscular figure, and her eyes glowed a dull  
red, and her face had a large toothy grin, her fangs prominently  
showing. A dull crystal hung around her broad neck.  
  
A disturbing thought came to Petrovich's mind. *Oh no…not  
her…not that bossy windbag again…anything but her…*  
  
Asuka stood up and acknowledged the creature, "Ahh, Lynx, my  
dear, welcome! I hope your trip was satisfactory?"  
  
The creature named Lynx bowed, "It was, Master Asuka.  
Commandant Lynx, reporting as ordered."  
  
Asuka bowed back. "Splendid. And I'm sure you remember  
Petrovich?" he asked, motioning to the other man.  
  
Lynx looked at Petrovich, and she brightened. "Commander  
Petrovich! You old nefarious Cossack! So they thawed you out  
from your frozen dacha, yes?" she cackled.  
  
*Ughh, it IS her,* Petrovich winced inwardly. He hid his  
disgust, though, and managed a small grin and bowed to her.  
  
"It has been…a long time, Mistress Lynx. Quite a new look for  
you, too," he finally said.  
  
"Ah, of course. You rather prefer my…ahem, human side?" she  
chuckled.  
  
Suddenly the crystal began to glow, and soon her body glowed as  
well, and in a flash, she had transformed into a human woman.  
She had shrunk from her tall seven-foot frame to a slender  
5-foot, 7-inch form. Her long flowing hair had tuned from black  
to red, she had green eyes, a shapely body, and wearing a sexy  
evening dress.  
  
Lynx tossed her head, and gave a deep sigh as she rubbed the  
back of her head. "Ugh…I had forgotten how much of a drain it  
was to transform into…into this," she sighed, and winked at  
Petrovich.  
  
Petrovich cleared his throat, and turning to Asuka, he asked,  
"Master Asuka, now that we are all here…"  
  
"Ah yes, so we are," Asuka chuckled, and he sat down, facing  
his two guests. Lynx sat down on the empty stool, while  
Petrovich remained standing. Asuka continued, "But first off,  
do you have a report from the Dark Dimension, Lynx?"  
  
Lynx nodded. "Our warriors are being prepared as we speak,  
Master. Their hibernation period is almost near its end; we  
just need sufficient energy to bring them into top shape. Then  
our long-delayed assault on Earth will finally begin," and she  
evilly grinned, "and then, the galaxy, then the universe  
beyond!"  
  
"Provided, of course, of no further…delays," interjected  
Petrovich.  
  
Now it was Lynx who frowned, and gazed hard at Petrovich. "Our  
forces WILL be ready, I assure you…Commander," she said  
haughtily, "our armies are like no other, and we will sweep any  
force who dares faces us, and crush them with ease."  
  
Petrovich, inwardly satisfying himself in needling Lynx,  
smirked, "Lest we forget our little…Siberia episode…"  
  
Lynx fumed. "Grrr…THAT was nothing but...but a fluke!" she  
spat, "but this time, Commander Petrovich, we WILL win!"  
  
"Enough!" interrupted Asuka, who seemed to enjoy the verbal  
match before him. "I brought you both here for a purpose," he  
said, and Lynx and Petrovich gave each other one last hard look  
and looked at Asuka, who pressed another button on his desk.  
  
A projection screen was lowered adjacent to them, and a series  
of images slowly flashed on it: action shots of five  
sailor-suited girls and one tuxedoed man.  
  
Asuka gestured to his guests, "I'm sure you have heard of the  
Sailor Senshi and their mysterious accomplice, Tuxedo Kamen?"  
  
Petrovich's brow went up again, peering at the photos as if  
picking out details, and nodded. Lynx, however, tossed her head  
and snorted.  
  
"Bah! Those silly girls? In those skimpy, tacky outfits they  
wear? Hah! Plenty of flash but very little substance, I say.  
Though that Tux Boy looks rather handsome," and she coyly  
grinned.  
  
Asuka chuckled, but Petrovich said nothing, keeping his eyes on  
the flashing photographs, and he finally said, "Does your hidden  
paparazzi ever clean his lens?"  
  
*Ah…he spotted them, good work, Anton,* thought Asuka, and Lynx  
said, "What are you talking about, Petrovich?"  
  
"These shots were taken from afar…tough, good shots with zoom  
lens, but their faces…something's wrong with them," he said, and  
moved closer to the screen, his eyes narrowing behind his  
shades. Indeed, the faces of the senshi and Tuxedo Kamen, upon  
closer inspection by Petrovich…  
  
"…They are blurred, and a sheen upon them…" Petrovich pointed  
out.  
  
"Your eyes are as sharp as ever, Anton," marveled Asuka, "yes,  
their faces cannot be seen clearly."  
  
"Hahaha! They must have broken the lens!" Lynx laughed.  
  
Asuka shook his head. "They did not, my dear Lynx. That fuzzy  
sheen on their faces appear on every scant photograph we ever  
took of them. Even a couple of pictures with civilians nearby,  
whose faces were quite clear, theirs were not. Our scanning  
equipment's analysis turned up negligible results."  
  
Petrovich cocked his head, and said, "A glamour?"  
  
Lynx sweatdropped. "A what?" she asked.  
  
"Yes, that's what I think so too," Asuka nodded.  
  
Petrovich turned back and addressed Lynx, "A glamour, Commander  
Lynx, is a sort of veil…a magical veil…a cloak, if you will,  
like your transformed human state. The Senshi and this Tuxedo  
Kamen fellow must have some magical spell over themselves. To  
be able to blur a camera lens…rather clever idea to conceal  
their identities, and they don't fight in front of a crowd."  
  
Lynx bore a confused look on her face, and said, "I don't  
understand."  
  
"The Sailor Senshi's battles has few witnesses, Lynx,"  
continued Asuka, "and even a monster's victims were unconscious  
or half-conscious to pick out details. And every monster that  
went up against them, stood no chance against them."  
  
"Feh…preposterous," mumbled Lynx, but she looked at Asuka, back  
to Petrovich, and finally back to Asuka. "It seems you both  
know plenty of the enemy I don't know about," she muttered.  
  
Asuka chuckled, "Actually, Anton knows as much as the  
intelligence we gathered on the senshi, which is rather  
limited."  
  
"I always thought it a sound idea to know your enemy before  
facing them," said Petrovich, who smirked at Lynx, who shot back  
a spiteful glare. "But they are the reason we are here,  
Master?" he finished.  
  
"Indeed," nodded Asuka, "We have kept ourselves in the shadows  
long enough. And after some certain events as of late, I  
believe the time has come to deal with them."  
  
"And what has happened, master, that brought them to your  
attention?" asked Lynx.  
  
*Time for my bombshells,* thought Asuka, and said, "I'm sure  
you recall of Captain Nob, Mistress Lynx?"  
  
At the mention of the name, she perked up, and said, "'Captain'  
Nob? Hah! Since when he became captain? Yes, I do recall  
'Lieutenant' Nob; he was an assistant of mine in the Europe  
Sector. Follows orders well, but he's kind of a  
stick-in-the-mud, in my opinion. Why? Did he get promoted  
again for kissing plenty of rear ends?"  
  
"Actually, he's dead, Lynx," said Asuka solemnly.  
  
Lynx's eyes widened in shock. "WHAT? But…how?" she breathed.  
  
Asuka turned to Petrovich, and said, "You remember Nagash?"  
  
Petrovich started at the name, and nodded slowly. "He  
was…Kerensky, my old associate," he said quietly.  
  
Asuka nodded, "That was his human name, yes. He's gone too."  
  
Petrovich shook his head, but remained quiet. Lynx, however,  
was flabbergasted.  
  
"Nagash…from the First Winged Order, is dead too? But  
that's…that's impossible…" she gasped.  
  
"I find it hard to believe myself, mistress," said Petrovich,  
"Kerensky…that is, Nagash, was a good fighter…not as good as me,  
but he had potential…someone beat him?"  
  
"Nob may have been a fool, but he cannot have been killed so  
easily!" cried Lynx, and she stopped, looked the projection  
screen again, and back at Asuka. "You mean to say it was THEM?  
THEY killed Nob and Nagash??" she grated furiously.  
  
Asuka said nothing, but closed his eyes and folded his hands.  
  
Lynx was aghast, and pounded her fists on the mahogany table.  
"Master Asuka! Answer me! Did the Senshi brats and that Tux  
punk kill them?" she spat angrily.  
  
"Commandant Lynx!" called out Petrovich, "Keep your place!  
There is more to this, isn't it, master?"  
  
Asuka nodded, and softly said, "As you both know, we have need  
of soul energy to restore our Soultaker army. Our research has  
found that human couples exude high levels of energy when in  
love; their souls having reached a peak when two humans meet and  
their energies are compatible and multiplied…a meeting of 'soul  
mates,' as they like to describe it."  
  
Lynx shook her head, "Master, we know all about this, what does  
it have to do with our fallen comrades?" she exasperated.  
  
"As I was getting ready to say, Commandant," Asuka said  
pointedly to Lynx, who quieted down, "Captains Nob and Nagash  
were sent on similar missions: to recon and obtain soul energy  
from potential couples. Their power crystals were attuned with  
our home power crystal here at headquarters, so their  
telemetry--energy readings, collected energy, and the like--were  
tracked.  
  
"A few days ago, Nagash and Tor, a Third Level grunt, were in  
the Fujiyoshida Park sector, in the process of recovering a  
couple's soul energy. But according to the telemetry, they  
became separated, and, to our complete surprise, their energy  
signatures were gone."  
  
"Gone?" said Lynx.  
  
"Completely," continued Asuka, "their own energy taglines  
became flat. So I, fearing the worst, dispatched Nob to  
investigate. Upon his arrival, he found no trace of Nagash nor  
Tor, except for one thing…a piece of Nagash's sword. It was  
cloven in two."  
  
"Hmmm," Petrovich grunted.  
  
"So what happened to Nob, Master?" asked Lynx.  
  
"He was itching to find out who killed Nagash, so I sent him  
out last night, but this time, I made it a 4-man team: Anuk and  
Anak, two Second Order grunts, Sniper, a top-notch archer, and  
Nob himself. According to their telemetry, they have caught a  
couple, but something went wrong…"  
  
"It was them, wasn't it?" Lynx growled, "Those no-good senshi…"  
  
Asuka raised his hand. "Wait, Lynx. As I was saying, they had  
their victims, but something was happening to them. First,  
Sniper flat-lined, then Anuk and Anak. Nob's readings became  
erratic and unstable, as if he went through serious trauma.  
Then bam! His readings also went kaput."  
  
"Yes, and it was all because of those Sailor brats! Ooohh, I  
will make mincemeat out of their hides…" hissed Lynx.  
  
But Petrovich saw Asuka's worried face, and said, "You don't  
think it was them, don't you, Master?"  
  
Lynx blinked, and looked incredulously at Asuka, and back to  
Petrovich. "Well, who else but the Sailor Senshi, Commander?"  
she said coldly.  
  
"Mistress Lynx, please calm yourself. Something does bother me  
of the whole mess," he said.  
  
"Oh? And what would that be, Commander Petrovich?" Lynx  
huffed.  
  
"Particularly Nagash's demise. Something's not right," he  
said, "Master? You said Tor and Nagash…were separated?"  
  
Asuka nodded, and thought, *Anton's curiosity is piqued. He  
wants to know who beat his former partner.*  
  
"So Tor and Nagash faced their own fates on their own. Tor, I  
would think, would have taken on the Sailor Senshi, since the  
Third Order grunts are…as you can say…not too bright, and he  
lost," continued Petrovich, "but Nagash was smarter, and know  
when to retreat when the odds were against him. Someone got to  
him…alone…"  
  
Petrovich shook his head, and thought aloud, "Nagash chooses  
his own battles; he's a singular fighter."  
  
"So one of the senshi or Tux boy fought him…and beat him?" Lynx  
asked.  
  
Petrovich shook his head again. "It couldn't have been a  
senshi. They fight as a team, which is their strength. That's  
how Tor lost. Tuxedo Kamen appears as a lone card, but he  
doesn't strike me as a close-in fighter…" and Petrovich drifted  
off.  
  
His brow furrowed, and looked back at Asuka, and said, "A new  
enemy."  
  
"Yes," Asuka agreed.  
  
"A swordfighter?"  
  
"Nob's report of the area said no trace of explosive discharge  
or shell: no bullet, no gun. Given Nagash's true size and  
training, I doubt a knife would stop him. So yes, I would think  
a swordfighter," Asuka intoned.  
  
"And you think this…swordfighter, also killed Nob and his  
troop? Bah! That's crazy! A lone swordfighter taking on  
Soultakers? I find that very hard to believe, Commander,"  
grumbled Lynx, but Petrovich took a deep breath, a disturbing  
thought entering his mind.  
  
*But I can, Lynx…* thought Petrovich, *I can certainly  
believe…one can, and even did, take on the Soultakers…many years  
ago…*  
  
Petrovich looked at Asuka again, and said, "So my mission is to  
locate and eliminate Nagash's and Nob's killer?"  
  
"No. Not just yours, Anton. Lynx will also be on hand in this  
investigation. I want to know who our new player is," said  
Asuka.  
  
Lynx's eyes widened, and snorted, "Master Asuka, with all due  
respect, it looks like a waste of my resources to search for one  
adversary…"  
  
"This 'adversary,'" Asuka curtly interjected, "was capable of  
taking on two First Winged Order captains, two of your own kin.  
The assumption that the Sailor Senshi and this adversary are  
working in league must be scrutinized."  
Asuka then settled back on his chair, closed his eyes, and  
slightly grinned. "Besides, I think it's time we test the  
senshi on what they are made of. What do you say, Commandant  
Lynx?" he said slyly.  
  
Lynx, slightly taken aback, straightened with a wide smile.  
"The senshi are no match for us, master. Even their mysterious  
ally, they have no hope against us. We will win!" she cackled.  
  
Asuka nodded, and said, "Very well, Lynx. I admire your  
enthusiasm, but keep that brashness in check for now I want  
intelligence before our assault can begin. I'll leave that  
assignment to you."  
  
"You wish is my command, Master," Lynx said finally as she  
bowed. She turned around, and soon the crackling lights of the  
portal appeared again. She stepped through it, and she was  
gone.  
  
Asuka turned to Petrovich, who seemed lost in thought, and  
asked, "Presumptuous, isn't she?"  
  
"She always was," Petrovich said, "but, Master, you said this  
was Lynx's and my assignment. What's my part of my mission?"  
  
"You will play observer, Anton," Asuka said, "Lynx would no  
doubt face the senshi, but you will be on the lookout for our  
new adversary. I have a feeling your skills…or even perhaps  
mine…will be tested."  
  
"This adversary has you worried?"  
  
"Concerned, Anton…merely concerned. But as humans are wont to  
say: 'Better safe than sorry.'"  
  
Petrovich nodded, bowed, picked up his long briefcase, and  
turned towards the doorway. The click-clack of his shoes  
bounced off the hidden walls of the long hallway. But when  
Petrovich reached the doorway, Asuka called out, "Commander  
Petrovich!"  
  
Asuka's voice sounded deeper and louder from where Petrovich  
stood, and he turned to face his master.  
  
"Master?"  
  
Asuka's eyes twinkled, and said aloud, "Keep your blade sharp!"  
  
Petrovich managed a small grin upon hearing that, and patted  
his briefcase. "It always is, my master," he said.  
  
Petrovich bowed again, and left through the door. Asuka turned  
and faced the dawning sky before him, and he too, grinned.  
  
  
  
A cool breeze blew through the quiet streets of the Juuban  
neighborhood, as dawn crept quietly over the rest of Tokyo. The  
eastern sun began to peek over the mountains, bathing the city  
with a warm glow.  
  
Over at the large mansion atop Minato-ku, two figures clad in  
kendo uniforms faced each other silently. The two, one in white  
and the other in black, held their bamboo swords at the ready,  
waiting for the other to make the first move. Their faces are  
completely hidden behind their facemasks, showing no outward  
sign or expression to tip off the other. They stood there for  
what seemed for minutes on end, the only noises being heard were  
from birds flying overhead, and the faraway hum of Tokyo's  
traffic.  
  
They waited…and waited…until suddenly…  
  
"HAJIME!!" the white-clad fighter yelled.  
  
At that, the white fighter sprung forward and charged at the  
black-clad fighter, bringing his sword right at his opponent's  
head, but the other fighter managed to bring his sword over his  
head to block the attacker. The ice finally broken, the other  
fighter sprung to his feet and started delivering a series of  
thrusts and counterthrusts, and his opponent answered in kind.  
The loud CLACK CLACK of the wooden kendo swords resonated  
through the yard.  
  
For the next ten minutes, both fighters clashed furiously,  
neither one giving any quarter to the other. Several times they  
locked their swords and brought themselves close, mask to mask,  
grunting at each other. Until at last, when they locked swords  
again, the white fighter whispered:  
  
"Venus."  
  
"What?" the black fighter flinched, and slightly dropped his  
hands.  
  
"Gotcha," the other said.  
  
The white fighter pushed his hands upward, and the black  
fighter was thrown off balance. The white fighter unleashed a  
furious barrage of thrusts from his kendo sword, bearing down at  
his opponent. The black fighter gamely blocked each thrust, but  
then one managed to hit his right shoulder.  
  
"OW!" the black fighter grunted.  
  
"YAME!" the white fighter declared.  
  
They both stopped, retreated from each other a few steps, and  
respectfully bowed at each other.  
  
The beaten fighter took off his mask. "That…was a  
dirty…trick…Arch," Rolie said breathlessly.  
  
"Oh?" Archie huffed as he took off his own mask, "and you  
think…the Soultakers…won't resort to…dirty tricks?"  
  
Rolie mumbled incoherently.  
  
"And are you still favoring that shoulder?" Archie added.  
Rolie nodded, and said, "The Soultaker's arrow was barbed. It  
took me longer to take it out."  
  
"Ah, I see. That and your guilty conscience left yourself open  
to my attacks."  
  
"Guilty conscience?"  
  
"You were just thinking about Sailor Venus, weren't you?"  
  
"What? No way," Rolie scoffed, "it's…it's just the barb.  
Besides, you were gunning for my shoulder anyways."  
  
"Humph. A likely story," Archie surmised, "you're better than  
that, and you know it."  
  
"Aw, lay off, Arch. You're starting to sound like an old,  
crotchety sensei."  
  
"I AM an old, crotchety sensei," he shot back, "and I'm gonna  
get you into shape, even if it kills you…or me."  
  
Rolie sighed deeply and sat on the ground. Archie strode up to  
him and sat down beside Rolie, and said, "You ARE feeling  
guilty, aren't you?"  
  
After a long pause, Rolie finally nodded, and said, "I guess I  
am. But damn it, Arch, I have good reason, don't I? I'm…having  
mixed feelings. I have seen the Sailor Senshi fight that  
Soultaker in Fujiyoshida Park, and they were impressive. Then I  
see Sailor Venus very foolhardily take on four of them, but she  
did save that couple, or else they would have been dead. So I  
admire her for that. But still…" and Rolie shook his head.  
  
"Rolie?" Archie replied, "the Sailor Senshi have been around  
for a couple of years, and they have taken on monsters before."  
  
"Yeah, but not these kinds of monsters," Rolie replied.  
  
Archie sighed, and patted Rolie's shoulder. "You haven't met  
them all, Rolie. If you were to see them in sustained, real  
action, maybe that will change your mind."  
  
Rolie looked at Archie. "And YOU have seen them? You seem  
determined to sell their case to me, Arch," he said, "you know  
something I don't know, hmmm?"  
  
*Whoops! Heh heh, forgot how intuitive he is,* thought Archie,  
and chuckled, "Hah! What's an old fogey like me going to know  
about the Sailor Senshi anyhow?"  
  
Rolie raised an eyebrow at that.  
  
Archie grinned back at him, and said, "Let's just say I have a  
little faith in them. You should too."  
  
Rolie thought it over, but shook his head. "I'm not ready to,"  
he replied, "and after all that I went through before, I don't  
think I can."  
  
*Drat, he's as stubborn as a mule,* Archie thought. He sighed,  
and finally said, "So, shall we resume?"  
  
"No, I had enough for today."  
  
"Rolie-boy…"  
  
"I mean it, Arch. Just…drop it, okay?" said Rolie curtly, and  
stood up, and walked off a few feet.  
  
"Okay, Rolie, if you say so," said Archie resignedly, "so what  
do you have in mind for today?"  
  
Rolie stood quietly, staring at the far walls of the yard, and  
then said, "I should get to know more around here."  
  
"Not a bad idea," said Archie, "why not drop by Minako Aino's  
house and ask her for a tour of the neighborhood, hmmm?"  
  
Rolie coughed at the mention of Mina's name. "Umm, I think  
I'll…umm, oh, head over to the Crown Game Center, and maybe ask  
Motoki for that tour, yeah…heh heh," Rolie blushed.  
  
Archie grinned mischievously. "Aww, go on now. What's the  
matter? I thought you liked the prettier ones," and he swiftly  
whacked Rolie's rear end with his kendo sword.  
  
"Hey!" Rolie cried, "Minachan is pretty…umm, I mean…"  
  
"Aha! You sly dog!" chuckled Archie, whacked Rolie again, and  
was soon chasing him around the yard. "Didn't you OWE her  
something? Well, didn't you??"  
  
"Ow! Hey, watch it! Well, umm, yeah, I do…umm, oh boy…" Rolie  
mumbled.  
  
"So? What are you waiting for? A gold-lettered invitation?"  
Archie cracked, and whacked Rolie again.  
  
"Ow!! All right! All right!" Rolie laughed, and both men  
headed into the house.  
  
  
  
Later that morning, at the Crown Game Center, Motoki was in his  
back office filling orders, when Unazuki knocked on the door.  
  
"Onii-san?" she asked.  
  
"Yes, imouto-chan?"  
  
"There's a gentleman here to see you. He asks if you needed  
more help in making new smoothies?"  
  
"Huh? Oh! It's Rolie-san. Tell him I'll be right out," he  
chuckled.  
  
After a few minutes, Motoki put his papers away, and just  
before he left his office, he took a small velvet box from his  
coat and put it in his pants pocket, and met Rolie at the  
counter.  
  
"Rolie-san!" said Motoki.  
  
"Motoki-san! How are you?" replied Rolie.  
  
"I'm great! And you know what? You are a genius!"  
  
"Huh? I am?"  
  
"The smoothies! They're a hit! After you left, I made a few  
more for my customers, and they liked it so much, they'll be  
telling their friends too! I'm thinking after a few days of  
word-of-mouth advertising, people will flock to the Center!"  
  
"Whoa! Easy there, Motoki-san," laughed Rolie, "smoothies have  
been around for a while already. All I did was add…"  
  
"Shh!! Shh!!" Motoki hissed, and clamped his hand over Rolie's  
mouth, and then removed it. "Sorry about that, but extra touch  
you did? YOU know that, and I know that, but THEY don't," and  
he jerked his thumb at the customers behind him.  
  
Rolie laughed louder. "Hahaha! You are the crafty one, aren't  
you? What are you going to do? Corner the strawberry smoothie  
market with your 'discovery?'"  
  
Motoki blinked; he hadn't thought of Rolie's contribution, and  
sheepishly said, "Well, um, if you like, we can split the  
profits, and…"  
  
"Relax, Motoki-san. You can have all the credit. I don't  
mind."  
  
"But…"  
  
"I mean it. Make it your unique specialty, something only  
found at the Crown Game Center, and reap in your little  
'profits.'"  
  
"You're willing to let me do that, all on my own?" asked Motoki  
with wonder.  
  
"Think of it as…a charitable contribution, in honor of your  
father. You seem to have a bit of his business savvy in you,  
Motoki."  
  
Motoki smiled, and bowed. "I am grateful, Rolie-san. If there  
is anything I can help you with, just name it."  
  
"Well, there is something you might be able to help me at,"  
Rolie said.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"I'm trying to find Minako Aino."  
  
"Minachan?"  
  
"Yes. You see, I had to leave yesterday to attend some  
business at my home, and…umm, I think I left Mina in a lurch  
with her ravenous friends," Rolie sweatdropped.  
  
"Ohhh, I see," chuckled Motoki.  
  
"So since Mina and I are new neighbors now, I went to her home  
first looking for her, to apologize. But it looked like no one  
was home when I rung the bell, so I came here to ask you where I  
might find her…"  
  
"Oh, is that it? Well, if she or her folks aren't at home,  
then they either gone out together, or Mina could be spending  
time with her friends. And knowing that group, it's a good bet  
they will be at Hikawa Shrine, Rei Hino's place. It's a very  
relaxing place to be, especially today on Sunday."  
  
"Really?" replied Rolie, "so you can show me how to get there?"  
  
"Better yet, I'll take you there myself."  
  
"Oh…but, the store, Motoki?"  
  
"Don't worry, Rolie-san. It's close to noon now, my lunch  
break is coming up, and I close up shop for a couple of hours.  
So I have plenty of time. Besides, I have another plan in  
store, and our visit to the shrine will work perfectly."  
  
"Oh? How so?" asked Rolie.  
  
"You said it first, Rolie. I'm the 'crafty' one, so it will be  
my surprise for all involved. So if you would excuse me, I'll  
close the Center up so we can go, all right?" said Motoki.  
  
"Well, all right, if you say so," said Motoki, but wondered  
what Motoki had in mind.  
  
*Hmm, he looks very excited for just taking off to a shrine.  
Wonder what he's up to?* he thought as he waited.  
  
  
  
*Must you go?*  
  
The figure she was addressing to didn't turn.  
  
*You CAN'T leave…it's not fair…*  
  
The figure remained silent.  
  
*…Your friends…your family…your…*  
  
*Enough!* the figure intoned, *it's my duty…my 'destiny'…*  
  
A sob. A tear ran down her cheek.  
  
He finally turns, and she could see his eyes.  
  
*I will come back…I will see you again…* he says.  
  
The pendant around his neck glowed.  
  
His eyes glowed.  
  
Suddenly, a deep darkness, cries of pain, agony, and death  
surround her…getting louder…louder…LOUDER…  
  
*NOOOOOOOOO!!!!*  
  
"Nooooo!!" Mina cried out.  
  
"Mina! Mina! Wake up please!" cried another voice.  
  
Mina jerked herself awake, breathing hard, and gasped,  
"Artemis? No, wait…Luna?"  
  
Mina rubbed her eyes and saw it was indeed Luna at the foot of  
her futon. Luna had a worried look on her face.  
  
"Minachan? Are you all right?" the black cat asked.  
  
"Oh…oh, Luna, it was dreadful, I just had a frightening…umm…"  
  
"Nightmare?"  
  
"Yes! Umm, no…I don't know,"  
  
"It must have been a nightmare, dear. You were thrashing  
around for a good while." Luna explained.  
  
"I was?" asked Mina, and she looked around herself, she saw  
that her sheets and bedding was tossed about. "Whoa, but it  
seemed to real, Luna," Mina said.  
  
"Can you remember what you saw?" Luan asked.  
  
"Well, let's see," Mina mumbled, and tried to think. "I  
dreamed I was in a castle, and…umm, I saw somebody, a  
guy…a…handsome guy, I think," she started.  
  
*Oh, brother,* Luna sweatdropped.  
  
"But, he was in some sort of dark uniform, or armor, like a  
knight," Mina continued.  
  
Luna's ears pricked up. *Wait a minute. Haven't I heard of  
this before?* she thought.  
  
"What else, Mina?" Luna pressed.  
  
"He…oh, darn it! I can't remember anymore," Mina pouted.  
  
"It's all right, Mina," Luna sighed, "perhaps the next time  
you'll remember more."  
  
"You really think so, Luna? Because…ummm…" she drifted off,  
and looked around the room. Something wasn't right.  
  
"Luna? This isn't my room. This isn't my house." said Mina.  
  
"Well, of course it isn't, my dear. Don't you remember?  
You're here at the shrine. Rei put you up for the night,"  
explained Luna.  
  
Mina looked around at her surroundings, and indeed the shrine's  
walls marked the room's perimeter. It was sparsely furnished,  
but clean. Mina looked at Luna again.  
  
"I must have really been bush-leagued, weren't I, Luna?"  
  
"Ahem, 'bushed' you mean? Yes, you were. You poor girl. You  
have gone through a lot this past day and a half, haven't you?"  
said Luna.  
  
Mina cocked her head, and asked, "Day and a half? What time is  
it now, Luna?"  
  
"It's almost noon. You have been asleep since 7:30 last  
night…almost 17 hours, Mina."  
  
Mina's eyes widened. "17 HOURS?? Oh my gosh! My parents…"  
  
"Don't worry, Mina. Rei's grandfather called them last night,  
telling them you were here and spending the night. He even told  
them he was going to put you to do some chores around the  
shrine," Luna giggled.  
  
Mina looked at Luna incredulously, and squeaked, "He…he didn't  
mean that, didn't he?  
  
"Actually, it was Rei's suggestion, in the hopes of convincing  
your parents. And they agreed."  
  
Mina's heart sank. "This has NOT been my week." she mumbled.  
  
Luna smiled in sympathy, and said, "Well, before doing your  
'chores,' why don't you freshen up? We're having a meeting  
shortly."  
  
Mina sighed and nodded, and started to the bathroom door, when  
something occurred to her.  
  
"Luna?" Mina asked, "where's Artemis?"  
  
Luna frowned, and harrumphed, "You're 'guardian cat' seems to  
have another agenda, I think. He has been gone since late last  
night, handing over his duty to watch over you."  
  
"Did he say where he was going?"  
  
"He said Central Control, but he's way overdue, and I need to  
talk to him too. He'd better be back for the meeting," and at  
that, Luna stepped out of the room.  
  
*Central Control?* thought Mina, *and he's been gone all  
night…was it about the battle? The monsters? The…Dragon  
Knight?*  
  
She placed her hand on her forehead, and sighed, "Sheesh, what  
else can happen know?"  
  
  
  
"HAHAHAHA! Ah Hahaha!" shrieked Usagi.  
  
Rei, Ami, and Makoto sweatdropped as Usagi giggled and laughed  
at the book she was reading from.  
  
"How long has she been at that manga, Rei?" grumbled Makoto.  
  
"That's the third back issue she has read in the past hour,"  
Rei sighed, "I had thought reading them would keep her busy, but  
I had forgotten those were her favorites, and she never tires  
from reading them over and over and over…"  
  
"Hahaha! Guys, this is soooo funny! Hahaha!" Usagi gasped.  
  
The others let out a collective groan.  
  
Ami cleared her throat, and asked, "How long do we have to  
wait, Rei? It's past noon already."  
  
"Once Luna and Mina get here, we can start," said Rei.  
  
"What's the rush, Ami? It's Sunday, so there's no school  
today," said Makoto.  
  
"Well, I had finished two chapters on my science books, and I  
would like to get started on my foreign language assignments,"  
replied Ami.  
  
Rei and Makoto face faulted; Usagi kept on laughing.  
  
"Same ol' Ami," Makoto murmured.  
  
"Same ol' Usagi, too; she didn't even flinch," grumbled Rei.  
  
Then there was a knock on the door, and Rei responded, "Yes?  
Who is it?"  
  
"It's me, Rei-san," said a male voice.  
  
"Oh…Yuuichiro, umm…come in," said Rei.  
  
The door slid open, and Yuuichiro Kumada, dressed in his  
priest-in-training robes, entered carrying two trays.  
  
"I brought some tea and cupcakes, since it's lunchtime," said  
Yuuichiro.  
  
"Why, that's very thoughtful, Yuuichiro-san," said Ami.  
  
"Yes," said Rei softly, "Thank you very much."  
  
"Did someone say cupcakes?" exclaimed Usagi, and she jumped  
from her seat cushion and grabbed a handful of cupcakes.  
  
"Usagi no baka!" yelled Rei, "These cakes are for all of us!"  
  
"But I'm hungry!" Usagi yelled back.  
  
Rei fumed, and snatched a couple of cupcakes back from Usagi.  
"We can eat them all…ONE AT A TIME! Not like a pig-tailed  
vacuum cleaner!" she snapped.  
  
Tears appeared in Usagi's eyes, and she whimpered, "Rei? Why  
are you so mean to meeeeee?? WAAAAHHHH!!!"  
  
Everyone sweatdropped and groaned.  
  
"Rei-san? You can give her those cakes," another voice said  
from outside the doorway.  
  
Everyone but Yuuichiro blinked, and Mamoru appeared in the  
doorway, holding another tray, and he said, "Yuuichiro-san made  
another batch just in case."  
  
"Mamochan!" Usagi cried, and leaped up to her boyfriend,  
hugging him.  
  
"Hiya, Usako," said Mamoru softly.  
  
Ami and Makoto giggled, Rei sighed and shook her head.  
Yuuichiro chuckled, cleared his throat, and asked, "Would you  
like anything else, Rei-san?"  
  
Rei was caught aback, and responded, "Oh…umm, no, thanks,  
Yuuichiro-san…err, you ought to get to those chores Grandpa  
wants you to do."  
  
Yuuichiro blinked, as if he was expecting another response, and  
finally bowed, "Yeah, I better…go, and do the chores…sure…if you  
would excuse me…"  
  
"Thank you, Yuuichiro-san," Rei acknowledged, and Yuuichiro  
stepped through the doorway, closing the door behind him. Rei  
gave out a silent sigh.  
  
Ami and Makoto exchanged glances, as did Usagi and Mamoru.  
They all had the same question in mind, but none dared say it  
aloud. Rei took her tray and set it down on the table, setting  
herself down as well on her cushion, her eyes closed.  
  
"I know what you're thinking," she said softly, "and we all  
know the answer to that."  
  
"But, Rei…" Usagi began.  
  
"No, Usagi," Rei interrupted, "you know as well as I do,  
as do Makochan, Ami-chan, and Minachan, as well as Mamoru-san,  
that our identities must remain hidden. Even if it means…lying,  
deceiving our other friends…" and she choked back a cough.  
  
Usagi let go of Mamoru, made her way to Rei, sat down beside  
her, and clutched her friend's hand. Rei opened her eyes and  
looked at Usagi, who was smiling back at her.  
  
"You've gotten to like Yuuichiro a lot, haven't you?" Usagi  
asked.  
  
Rei's eyes widened and gasped. She braced herself for the  
incoming taunting, but as she looked at Usagi's face, she saw  
she still smiled.  
  
*She…she's not going…to tease me?* Rei thought, and she  
blushed.  
  
"Rei?" Usagi began, "You know, I sometimes feel that this is my  
fault…that to fulfill your duties as my Senshi, you had to give  
up your everyday lives. You had to lie to your family and  
friends because you don't want them involved or hurt, but you  
still feel you ARE hurting them just the same. And I feel bad  
about that."  
  
"Usagi," Rei murmured.  
  
"But I know how it feels," Usagi continued, "How many times I  
hide the truth from Naru-chan, from Shingo, from my own mom and  
dad? It pains me for doing it, for I too don't want them  
involved. But I have hope, Rei…I have hope that one day, when  
everything is just right, I can finally tell them the truth, and  
I hope they will still love me just the same."  
  
"She's right, you know," a new voice said.  
  
All heads turned to the doorway, and they saw Mina wearing a  
miko robe and looking at them, in particular at Usagi and Rei.  
  
"Minachan!" exclaimed Makoto.  
  
"Mina, are you all right now?" asked Ami.  
  
"Yes, I am, thank you," she told them, and she looked back at  
Rei and Usagi, and continued, "Rei-chan? I hope you don't mind I  
borrow on your robes?"  
  
"Not at all," Rei said as she shook her head.  
  
Mina stepped forward and sat before Usagi and Rei, and she too  
clutched Rei's hand with Usagi.  
  
"As I had said," she continued, "Usagi's right, Rei. We must  
keep our hopes up that we can tell the truth to our loved  
ones…whether they be old acquaintances, or new boyfriends," and  
she winked at Rei at that last part, and Rei blushed again.  
  
Usagi hugged Rei's shoulders and said, "We're all in this  
together, Rei. And together, we can get through it all."  
  
Rei looked at Mina, who nodded, and to Ami and Makoto, who  
nodded as well. Even Mamoru, amazed at Usagi's turn of wisdom,  
nodded in agreement.  
  
Rei's eyes welled up, and she playfully tugged at one of  
Usagi's pigtails.  
  
"Silly meatball-head," she murmured gratefully.  
  
"Hey, watch it there, Pyro," Usagi chortled.  
  
They glanced at each other, and broke out into laughter, as did  
the others.  
  
"AHEM!" a new voice called out.  
  
Everyone turned to the sound, and Luna appeared at the  
windowsill.  
  
"Now that the pleasantries are done and Mina is fully  
recovered, let's get this meeting started," the black cat said.  
  
Everyone sat down, but Mina piped up, "Luna? Where's Artemis?"  
  
Luna frowned, and deeply sighed, "That cat still hasn't shown  
up? Oooh, I'll box his ears in."  
  
"Luna?" asked Mamoru, "If I'm not mistaken, Artemis is not one  
to miss meetings. He did ask me last night for me to come here,  
so there must be a reason for his tardiness."  
  
"Mamoru-san's right, Luna," concurred Mina, "So can we give him  
a few minutes more?"  
  
"Well…" Luna began to say.  
  
"Yay!!" exclaimed Usagi, "in the meantime we can dig into these  
cakes!"  
  
Everyone face faulted.  
  
"Look like we have our old Usagi back," joked Makoto, as Usagi  
munched on a cupcake.  
  
  
  
"Wow…this is really a beautiful place," remarked Rolie.  
  
Rolie was gazing at the landscapes and orderly scenery of the  
Hikawa Shrine. A few people were milling about, relaxing under  
shading trees, or eating from their bento boxes.  
  
As Rolie looked about around him, Motoki fidgeted, constantly  
reaching into his pants pocket. His sister Unazuki noticed  
this, and said, "Motoki-onii? Is there something wrong?"  
  
"What?" Motoki jumped, but quickly relaxed, "Oh, no…nothing,  
imouto, nothing at all…I'll…be right back," and he left Rolie  
and Unazuki alone.  
  
Rolie noticed this, and asked Unazuki, "What's wrong with  
Motoki? It looked like he had ants in his pants or something  
with all that fidgeting."  
  
"Heh, no, Rolie-san," giggled Unazuki, "he fidgets when  
something's going to happen, and I have a sneaking suspicion…"  
and she drifted off, watching Motoki closely.  
  
Motoki had stepped a few yards away from Rolie and Unazuki  
until he yelled out, "Reika!"  
  
"Motoki-chan!" a new voice responded.  
  
Bounding up the steps of the shrine, a young, red-haired woman  
made her way towards a waiting Motoki, who laughed, hugged and  
whirled her by the waist around him.  
  
"Ha! I thought it was Reika-chan," said Unazuki smugly.  
  
"Reika?" asked Rolie.  
  
"Motoki's sweetheart," she explained.  
  
"Ohhh, of course," laughed Rolie.  
  
It wasn't long that Motoki and Reika walked back to a waiting  
Rolie and Unazuki, and Motoki flushed, "Rolie-san? This is my  
girlfriend, Reika."  
  
"Indeed? From the way you two spun around like a top, you  
could have fooled me," said Rolie jokingly, and Motoki blushed  
and Reika giggled. "A pleasure meeting you, Reika-san," Rolie  
added as he bowed.  
  
"It's very nice meeting you, Rolie-san," answered Reika, and  
hello to you too, Unazuki-chan. Maybe you can tell me why your  
brother has brought us all here to this place?" Unazuki shook  
her head and glanced at Motoki, who was grinning from ear to  
ear.  
  
All in good time, my dear," said Motoki," so if you all follow  
me and the mystery will soon be solved."  
  
Soon, the four visitors reached the main shrine hall, where  
they found Yuuichiro sweeping the steps.  
  
"Yuuichiro-san!" called out Motoki.  
  
Yuuichiro looked up, saw his friend and his companions, and  
smiled. "Motoki-san! What brings you here?" he asked as he  
approached them.  
  
Both men shook hands, and Motoki gestured, "You know my girl  
Reika, and my sister Unazuki. This is another friend of mine:  
Rolie Drake."  
  
"Yuuichiro Kumada, at your service, Mr. Drake-san," said  
Yuuichiro as he bowed.  
  
"Please, call me Rolie," Rolie bowed back and stuck out his  
hand.  
  
As Yuuichiro grasped Rolie's hand, time seeming stopped for  
them. For the briefest second that seemed an eternity, the air  
around them seem to turn into a deep reddish hue, and as they  
looked into each other's eyes, both could swear something was  
between them. Something hot, glowing, a burning sensation…  
  
…and it was gone, as quickly as it appeared.  
  
*Whoa! What in the world…?* thought Yuuichiro.  
  
*What…was…that?* thought Rolie.  
  
Both let go of each other's hand quickly.  
  
"Yow! Whoa, umm…static electricity," chuckled Rolie nervously.  
  
"Heh...yes, it must have been," agreed Yuuichiro, "sorry about  
that, Rolie-san."  
  
"Not a problem, Yuuichiro-san."  
  
"Yuuichiro?" asked Motoki, "are Rei-chan and the others here?"  
  
"Huh? Oh yes, they are. Rei, Usagi, Ami, Makoto, Minako, and  
even Mamoru are here. Some sort of meeting they're having, I  
guess," he said a bit somberly.  
  
Rolie perked up at hearing Mina's name, "Mina's here too?"  
  
"Yes, she is," said Yuuichiro, and asked Motoki, "you wanted to  
see Rei?"  
  
"Actually," said Motoki, after spotting Rei's grandfather  
approaching them from a distance, "can you ask all of them to  
come out here? I have something to say to all present."  
  
Everyone looked at Motoki with questioning eyes, but he said no  
more.  
  
"All right, Motoki. I'll be right back," said Yuuichiro, and  
he disappeared into the shrine.  
  
"Just what are you up to, Motoki?" asked Reika.  
  
"You will see, Reika-chan," said Motoki as he squeezed  
something in his pocket.  
  
  
  
Rolie and Yuuichiro weren't the only ones to feel that  
mysterious flash. In Rei's meeting room, everyone were shaking  
their heads in bewilderment, wondering what had just happened.  
  
"Did…did you feel that?" asked Ami hesitantly.  
  
"Yeah, it was like a static bolt of some kind," said Makoto.  
  
"But…what could have caused it?" queried Usagi.  
  
"And why did we ALL feel it?" added Mamoru.  
  
Mina just shook her head, but Luna's hackles were up; she even  
felt it, but she was watching Rei closely, and noticed she was  
trembling.  
  
"Rei? Is something wrong?" asked Luna.  
  
"I…I don't know, Luna," Rei responded shakily, "but, this was  
something that was bothering me…"  
  
"You mean you felt this jolt before?" asked Mina.  
  
"I'm thinking we ALL have felt it before," volunteered Mamoru,  
"back at the Crown Game Center."  
  
"Yes! I felt…something course through me, Mamochan," exclaimed  
Usagi.  
  
"But that doesn't make sense," said Ami, "how could we all feel  
a static jolt if we didn't make a circuit in the first place?"  
  
The girls looked quizzically at Ami, as she went on, "To get a  
static shock from somebody, that person has to pass it on to  
another person physically, merely by touch."  
  
"And to have us all feel the jolt," added Mamoru, "we all have  
to be touching each other at the same time: to complete the  
circuit."  
  
"Exactly, Mamoru," said Ami.  
  
"But we WEREN'T touching each other back at Crown Game, or even  
just now, so how was this possible?" asked Makoto.  
  
"There is more to this static shot, I think," said Luna, and  
she turned to Rei and asked, "You think you have an idea what  
caused it, Rei?"  
  
"This began back at Crown Game; we all did something to get  
that jolt…" she said as she drifted off in thought.  
  
Suddenly, Mina had one thought. *Rolie-san?*  
  
A knock on the door brought them out of their reverie, and Rei  
said, "Yes?"  
  
"Sorry to disturb you, Rei," Yuuichiro said as he slid the door  
open, "but Motoki sent me to ask you all if you can join him and  
his friends outside by the steps. I think he has an  
announcement to make."  
  
Everyone looked at each other as they all stood up, and Rei  
asked, "Who's Motoki with?"  
  
"Reika, his sister Unazuki, and some other guy…um, Rolie  
Drake." said Yuuichiro, and he walked down the hall towards the  
entrance.  
  
Mina's breath caught, and everyone hesitated. Rei frowned, but  
led the others down the hallway. Luna, however, stayed behind  
the group, now intently curious of the unspoken conclusion they  
all apparently had made.  
  
*Hmmm,* she thought, *this Rolie Drake fellow may bear  
watching. Could HE be the cause of the jolts?*  
  
  
  
Meanwhile, deep in the woods behind the shrine, a young woman  
leaned against a tall tree, picking at her nails, when a small  
crystal hanging around her neck began to glow. She clutched it,  
and then a fine mist materialized before her. An image of a  
horned and winged Soultaker faced her.  
  
"Captain Tyl, reporting as ordered, Commandant Lynx," the  
Soultaker image said.  
  
"Is your squad ready, Captain?" asked Lynx.  
  
"Yes, mistress. Dsiban is aligning the transport beam to  
handle the squad's size. Have you located the targets?"  
  
Lynx turned to her right, and peered into the thick brush. Her  
eyes narrowed and glowed red, and with her special sight, she  
saw the unsuspecting victims waiting by the shrine entrance.  
  
"Oh yes. I've found them, all right," she confirmed.  
  
"Very well. Estimated time of arrival is five minutes. Please  
stand by," finished Tyl, and his image faded.  
  
Lynx nodded, and as she looked again with her special sight,  
her crystal glowed briefly, and her Soultaker form now had  
replaced her human form.  
  
*Motoki and Reika, your soul energy are at your peak. And if  
those Sailor brats interfere, I'm ready for them," she chuckled  
evilly and licked her lips.  
  
  
  
  
END Part 1--Chapter 4  
  
  
(Note: Hmm, a cliffhanger! Stay tuned for Part 2! And thanks  
for reading! HAL :-D ) 


End file.
